beaming

American

[bee-ming] / ˈbi mɪŋ /

adjective

radiant; bright.
smiling brightly; cheerful.

Other Word Forms

beamingly adverb
unbeaming adjective

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.

The big draw of space for data centers is power supply, with the option of synchronizing satellites to the sun's orbit to ensure constant light beaming onto solar panels.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

Images taken of the couple show them both beaming from ear to ear, with Perry looking every inch the chart-topping icon in a figure-hugging red dress, while Trudeau donned an all-black suit.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 23, 2026

As one beaming face follows the next, Ms Pelicot, for the first time, wipes away a tear.

From BBC • Feb. 14, 2026

The Lilleys emerged from the meeting room beaming.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 14, 2026

I was beaming at the salesclerk and the pretty lady, proud that I was able to share a few bits of current events.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

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