glimpse
Americannoun
-
glimpses
plural
-
a very brief, passing look, sight, or view.
-
a momentary or slight appearance.
-
a vague idea; inkling.
-
Archaic. a gleam, as of light.
verb (used with object)
-
glimpses,
present (3rd person singular)
-
glimpsed,
past participle, past
-
glimpsing
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
glimpses,
present (3rd person singular)
-
glimpsed,
past participle, past
-
glimpsing
present participle
-
to look briefly; glance (usually followed byat ).
-
Archaic. to come into view; appear faintly.
noun
-
a brief or incomplete view
to catch a glimpse of the sea
-
a vague indication
he had a glimpse of what the lecturer meant
-
archaic a glimmer of light
verb
-
(tr) to catch sight of briefly or momentarily
-
to look (at) briefly or cursorily; glance (at)
-
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
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
glimpsesimple
-
glimpsessimple
-
have glimpsedperfect
-
has glimpsedperfect
-
am glimpsingprogressive
-
are glimpsingprogressive
-
is glimpsingprogressive
-
have been glimpsingperfect progressive
-
has been glimpsingperfect progressive
Past
-
glimpsedsimple
-
had glimpsedperfect
-
was glimpsingprogressive
-
were glimpsingprogressive
-
had been glimpsingperfect progressive
Future
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.
Vocabulary lists containing glimpse
"Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
List 15
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
The sale of Mercury's notebook offered "an extraordinary glimpse into his songwriting, and seeing it fetch the day's highest price was another highlight", Hochman added.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
That reconstruction offers a glimpse into the genetic makeup of one of the earliest flying mammals and creates a new resource for studying how bats developed their exceptional diversity.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026
Agathe Le Mestric, a 23 year-old notary, simply wanted to catch a glimpse of Pope Leo when she turned up on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026
Later in the film, Oppenheim depicts a brief glimpse of said figure, lurking in the bushes outside of Conradt’s home in the wake of his suicide.
From Salon ● Sep. 26, 2026
At dawn, while we were moving amid tangled brush, I caught a glimpse of animals traveling.
From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell
Ray first conjures his characters’ environment in sharp, brilliant glimpses from the small car the men travel in.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
He has shown only glimpses of his excellent domestic form, returning a high score of 21.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
Detailed glimpses inside the operations of private Chinese hacking operations are rare.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
However, there were also plenty of glimpses that suggest the kids will be all right.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026
I could see the bottom through the front windows of the Fabric Barn, and catching little glimpses of it settled my thoughts.
From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry
Up close, its elongated head, skeletal body and glistening double set of jaws reveal just how much unsettling detail goes into a creature often glimpsed onscreen in darkness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
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
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
"Jasper," a man with severe constipation who passes away in the sweltering waiting room, first appears in the season’s opening episode, and can later be glimpsed shedding layers of clothing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
I swiveled around, but there was only the charred building I had glimpsed during my vision at Meir’s.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
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
With the probable exception of glimpsing Earthrise out the window of Apollo 8, a total solar eclipse may be the best show in the universe accessible to human eyes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 6, 2024
Niagara Falls State Park has various vantage points ideal for glimpsing the natural phenomenon, and there will be interpretive staff offering educational programming in conjunction with the event.
From National Geographic ● Jan. 4, 2024
I remember glimpsing a big bureaucrat whose face filled one of the windowpanes and thinking, Maybe he ought to come in here and try it himself.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
