glaze

American  

[gleyz] / gleɪz /

verb (used with object)

glazed, glazing

1. to furnish or fill with glass.

   to glaze a window.

2. to give a vitreous surface or coating to (a ceramic or the like), as by the application of a substance or by fusion of the body.

3. to cover with a smooth, glossy surface or coating.

4. Cooking. to coat (a food) with sugar, a sugar syrup, or some other glossy, edible substance.

5. Fine Arts. to cover (a painted surface or parts of it) with a thin layer of transparent color in order to modify the tone.

6. to give a glassy surface to, as by polishing.

7. to give a coating of ice to (frozen food) by dipping in water.

8. to grind (cutlery blades) in preparation for finishing.

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verb (used without object)

glazed, glazing

1. to become glazed or glassy.

   Their eyes glazed over as the lecturer droned on.

2. (of a grinding wheel) to lose abrasive quality through polishing of the surface from wear.

noun

1. a smooth, glossy surface or coating.

2. the substance for producing such a coating.

3. Ceramics.

   1. a vitreous layer or coating on a piece of pottery.

   2. the substance of which such a layer or coating is made.

4. Fine Arts. a thin layer of transparent color spread over a painted surface.

5. a smooth, lustrous surface on certain fabrics, produced by treating the material with a chemical and calendering.

6. Cooking.

   1. a substance used to coat a food, especially sugar or sugar syrup.

   2. stock cooked down to a thin paste for applying to the surface of meats.

7. especially British, glazed frost.  Also called silver frost, silver thaw, verglas.  Also called glaze ice,.  a thin coating of ice on terrestrial objects, caused by rain that freezes on impact.

glaze British  

/ ɡleɪz /

verb

1. (tr) to fit or cover with glass

2. (tr) ceramics to cover with a vitreous solution, rendering impervious to liquid and smooth to the touch

3. (tr) to cover (a painting) with a layer of semitransparent colour to modify the tones

4. (tr) to cover (foods) with a shiny coating by applying beaten egg, sugar, etc

5. (tr) to make glossy or shiny

6. to become or cause to become glassy

   his eyes were glazing over

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noun

1. ceramics

   1. a vitreous or glossy coating

   2. the substance used to produce such a coating

2. a semitransparent coating applied to a painting to modify the tones

3. a smooth lustrous finish on a fabric produced by applying various chemicals

4. something used to give a glossy surface to foods

   a syrup glaze

Other Word Forms

• glazed
  adjective
• glazer
  noun
• glazily
  adverb
• glaziness
  noun
• glazy
  adjective
• reglaze
  verb (used with object)
• semiglaze
  noun

Etymology

Origin of glaze

1325–75; Middle English glasen, derivative of glas glass

Explanation

The glaze on a doughnut is the thin sweet coating that makes your fingers sticky. The glaze on a coffee table is the shiny coating that makes it glossy. The glaze on your friend's eyes as you talk is a sign that maybe you're boring her. Like glass, a glaze is a shiny clear substance so it's no surprise that they both come from the same root word glas. Objects that have a glaze on them include ceramic pots and doughnuts. If you glaze over something, you're covering it with a thin clear substance that makes it look polished. If someone says your eyes are starting to glaze over, snap out of it and look alive.

Example Sentences

Their Brussels sprout appetizer with balsamic glaze is amazing.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

"When the dust settled I realised that the important things I wanted to do were the small things, the things that we often glaze over, that we don't even reflect on," he said.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

I think people glaze over because it seems hypertechnical, but this is really where the rubber meets the road.

From Slate • Feb. 17, 2026

“The letters and numbers and percentage rates. My eyes glaze over.”

From MarketWatch • Feb. 10, 2026

His eyes had a film covering them, but I could see a frightened spark behind the glaze.

From "The Night Diary" by Veera Hiranandani

Related Words

• enamel
• sheen