beaming

American

[bee-ming] / ˈbi mɪŋ /

adjective

radiant; bright.
smiling brightly; cheerful.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of beaming

First recorded in 1660–70; beam + -ing ²

Explanation

If an object is beaming, it's glowing with light, but if a person is beaming, they're more likely to be smiling brightly. Your car's beaming headlights or the beaming eyes of your cat, glowing in the dark, are bright and radiant. That's where the other meaning of beaming, cheerful and bright, comes from. A beaming smile glows and shines with true joy. Beaming comes from the verb beam, "emit rays of light."

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Vocabulary lists containing beaming

All Aglow: Light Lingo

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myPerspectives 8.1

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"La Vida Robot" and "Reading, Writing and... Recreation"

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And 14th seed Paolini, who has struggled with a foot injury this year, celebrated with a beaming smile before saying her positivity was her "superpower".

From BBC • Jul. 6, 2026

Recruiting at a rodeo may seem random, but PBR CEO Sean Gleason, beaming in a cowboy hat during the day's events, says it's a natural fit.

From BBC • Jul. 4, 2026

Team captain Cristiano Ronaldo stood front and center, looking serious amid many beaming teammates and holding up a red No. 21 jersey in Jota’s honor.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 3, 2026

The photograph shows him in the Oval Office, holding a giant replica of a World Cup final ticket—Row 1, Seat 1—Gianni Infantino beaming at his elbow.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

August stands beside her with his bull hook, beaming like a proud father.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023