glowing

American  

[gloh-ing] / ˈgloʊ ɪŋ /

adjective

1. incandescent.

2. rich and warm in coloring.

   glowing colors.

3. showing the radiance of health, excitement, etc..

   glowing cheeks.

4. warmly favorable or complimentary.

   a glowing account of her work.

   Synonyms:

   unstinting, rapturous, enthusiastic, wholehearted, ardent

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glowing British  

/ ˈɡləʊɪŋ /

adjective

1. emitting a steady bright light without flames

   glowing embers

2. warm and rich in colour

   the room was decorated in glowing shades of gold and orange

3. flushed and rosy, as from exercise or excitement

   glowing cheeks

4. displaying or indicative of extreme satisfaction, pride, or emotion

   he gave a glowing account of his son's achievements

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Other Word Forms

• glowingly adverb
• unglowing adjective

Etymology

Origin of glowing

before 1000; Middle English glowynge, Old English glowende. See glow, -ing ²

Explanation

If something is glowing, it's either lit up like a light or it's full of praise and enthusiasm. So, you could receive a glowing candle or a glowing report card. You choose. When a report or account is glowing, it's unreservedly positive, like a book critic's glowing review of a new mystery novel or your grandmother's glowing praise for the good job you did mowing her lawn. Glowing comes from glow, which can mean "a flush of radiant feeling," and which comes from the Old English glowan, "to glow or shine as if red-hot."

Example Sentences

The astronauts will then have the chance to study the solar corona, the outermost layer of the Sun's atmosphere, which will become visible as a sort of glowing halo.

From Barron's • Apr. 5, 2026

As the first months passed, and their audience widened and sent glowing feedback, they began to realize they were having a big impact and touching lives.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

Sora transfixed the tech world by creating seemingly realistic videos of everything from woolly mammoths trekking across a snowy field to a stylish woman walking down a Tokyo street filled with glowing neon signs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

He noticed that a nearby screen began glowing unexpectedly, revealing a new type of radiation that allowed doctors to see inside the human body without surgery.

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2026

His breath fogged the glass as he panted, his good eye scouring the glowing forest beyond.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Related Words

• flaming
• florid
• flushed
• gleaming
• luminous
• vibrant
• vivid