glimpse

American  

[glimps] / glɪmps /

noun

• glimpses
  plural

1. a very brief, passing look, sight, or view.

2. a momentary or slight appearance.

3. a vague idea; inkling.

4. Archaic. a gleam, as of light.

---

verb (used with object)

• glimpses,
  present (3rd person singular)
• glimpsed,
  past participle,  past
• glimpsing
  present participle

1. to catch or take a glimpse of.

   Synonyms:

   espy, sight, view, spy, spot

verb (used without object)

• glimpses,
  present (3rd person singular)
• glimpsed,
  past participle,  past
• glimpsing
  present participle

1. to look briefly; glance (usually followed byat ).

2. Archaic. to come into view; appear faintly.

glimpse British  

/ ɡlɪmps /

noun

1. a brief or incomplete view

   to catch a glimpse of the sea

2. a vague indication

   he had a glimpse of what the lecturer meant

3. archaic a glimmer of light

---

verb

1. (tr) to catch sight of briefly or momentarily

2. to look (at) briefly or cursorily; glance (at)

3. archaic (intr) to shine faintly; glimmer

Usage

Glimpse is sometimes wrongly used where glance is meant: he gave a quick glance (not glimpse ) at his watch

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• glimpser
  noun
• unglimpsed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• glimpses
  plural

Participles

• glimpsing
  present
• glimpsed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• glimpse
  simple
• glimpses
  simple
• have glimpsed
  perfect
• has glimpsed
  perfect
• am glimpsing
  progressive
• are glimpsing
  progressive
• is glimpsing
  progressive
• have been glimpsing
  perfect progressive
• has been glimpsing
  perfect progressive

Past

• glimpsed
  simple
• had glimpsed
  perfect
• was glimpsing
  progressive
• were glimpsing
  progressive
• had been glimpsing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will glimpse
  simple
• will have glimpsed
  perfect
• will be glimpsing
  progressive
• will have been glimpsing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of glimpse

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English glimsen (verb); cognate with Middle High German glimsen “to glow”; akin to glimmer

Explanation

If you had a brief or incomplete look at something, you had a glimpse. "He didn't mean to peek, but he got a glimpse of his birthday present when his wife tried to sneak it into the house. Of course, it's pretty hard to hide a ladder." You can use glimpse as a noun (like when you "catch a glimpse of someone") or as a verb (like when you "glimpse in someone's direction"). Although the word glimpse is usually used to describe the physical act of sneaking a peek at something, you can also use the noun glimpse to indicate a vague idea or suggestion. Perhaps, you can have a glimpse into your future by observing your parents' actions or by consulting a Tarot card reader.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

glimpse glimpses glimpsed glimpsing

Here are some places around L.A. that offer a glimpse into Lynch’s world.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

Just down the coast, at Praia do Pego, I got a glimpse of the Comporta that may be coming.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

"This work of integrating DNA into electronics to do amazing things gives a glimpse into what is possible."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026

On a few occasions, the odd break in the cloud gave a glimpse of the Sun and the Moon for a few seconds.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

After they were asleep, she paced the nursery like the captain of a lost ship, waiting for some glimpse of a star to steer by.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

He showed glimpses of his undoubted ability, but there was a feeling among some supporters that they had not yet seen enough of Alexander-Arnold to judge his impact.

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026

There are no interesting choices, no glimpses of an artist’s vision.

From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026

Sir Paul McCartney's first album in six years is a collection of rock-n-pop glimpses into his childhood.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

There are glimpses of dogs’ roles during the Middle Ages, the era of plantation slavery and the London Blitz.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

The water was only ankle-deep now, and the mist cleared a bit to reveal glimpses of a sprawling forest of moss-covered trees.

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia

In his enthusiasm, he may have glimpsed a sliver of truth long before the rest of us knew how to look for it.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026

While Embo didn’t have much screen time, he can be glimpsed among the scum and villainy in a handful of episodes including Season 2 Episode 17, Season 5 Episode 14 and Season 6 Episode 5.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2026

Who down there, waiting in the out-the-door Sweetgreen line or descending into the subway, has glimpsed the void in the way I have?

From Slate ● Apr. 23, 2026

In this photograph, the contraption’s legs can be glimpsed jutting out from behind Lincoln’s knees; it had been placed on a black box to extend its reach.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2026

Nok glimpsed the tip of a staff peeking from beneath the jacket of a man who stood close by.

From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat

For many people, even glimpsing a hornet's stinger is enough to cause alarm.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 4, 2025

Disgruntled merchants have blocked off the famous Maradona Square in Naples, preventing tourists and visitors from glimpsing the gigantic mural of the Argentine footballer, in a row over bureaucracy.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2025

Additional spectators watched along the sidelines in hopes of glimpsing the series’ stars.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 19, 2025

“To hear Mitchell hit certain notes again in that inimitable voice was like glimpsing, in the wild, a magnificent bird long feared to have gone extinct.”

From New York Times ● Jan. 29, 2024

“Jesus, you in clover, sure ’nough,” Jack said, glimpsing the thick roll of bills.

From "Native Son" by Richard Wright

Related Words

• flash
• glance
• impression
• peek
• sight
• sighting