glare

¹ American  

[glair] / glɛər /

noun

1. a very harsh, bright, dazzling light.

   in the glare of sunlight.

   Synonyms:

   flash, glitter, flare

2. a fiercely or angrily piercing stare.

3. dazzling or showy appearance; showiness.

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verb (used without object)

glared, glaring

1. to shine with or reflect a very harsh, bright, dazzling light.

2. to stare with a fiercely or angrily piercing look.

3. Archaic. to appear conspicuous; stand out obtrusively.

verb (used with object)

glared, glaring

1. to express with a glare.

   They glared their anger at each other.

glare ² American  

[glair] / glɛər /

noun

1. a bright, smooth surface, as of ice.

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glare ¹ British  

/ ɡlɛə /

verb

1. (intr) to stare angrily; glower

2. (tr) to express by glowering

3. (intr) (of light, colour, etc) to be very bright and intense

4. (intr) to be dazzlingly ornamented or garish

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noun

1. an angry stare

2. a dazzling light or brilliance

3. garish ornamentation or appearance; gaudiness

glare ² British  

/ ɡlɛə /

adjective

1. smooth and glassy

   glare ice

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Related Words

See shine ¹. Glare, glower, gloat all have connotations of emotion that accompany an intense gaze. To glare is to look piercingly or angrily: A tiger glares at its prey. To glower is to look fiercely and threateningly, as from wrath; it suggests a scowl along with a glare: to glower at a mischievous child. To gloat meant originally to look with exultation, avaricious or malignant, on something or someone: a tyrant gloating over the helplessness of his victim. Today, however, it may simply imply inner exultation.

Other Word Forms

• glareless adjective
• glary adjective

Etymology

Origin of glare¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; (for the verb) Middle English glaren; cognate with Middle Dutch, Middle Low German glaren; akin to glass (compare Old English glæren “glassy”); noun derivative of the verb

Origin of glare²

First recorded in 1560–70; special use of glare ¹

Explanation

When you drive, you pull down your visors to block the glare, or the blinding light from the sun. The "rocket's red glare" from the national anthem is the bright light you'd see as a rocket shoots through the sky. Imagine the twinge of pain you get when you suddenly see the glare of a strong flash of bright light. Now imagine this light coming from an angry person's eyes towards you. This angry look is called a glare. If someone glares at you, be careful you don't get attacked! Glare can also mean the spotlight of public attention.

Example Sentences

She sparred verbally with the established Alycia Baumgardner and thrived under the glare of the Jake Paul v Anthony Joshua card on Netflix.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

Newcastle's home is far from the only ground which suffers in comparison to football's glare.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

There’s always been a fascination with peering into the lives of others, seeing how they react to everyday problems under the glare of a camera.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

The cruel glare from that explosion is revealing some hard truths.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

The musher's lamp sent out a blinking glare.

From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell

Related Words

• frown
• gape
• gawk
• glower
• scowl
• stare