glimpse
Americannoun
-
glimpses
plural
-
a very brief, passing look, sight, or view.
-
a momentary or slight appearance.
-
a vague idea; inkling.
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Archaic. a gleam, as of light.
verb (used with object)
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glimpses,
present (3rd person singular)
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glimpsed,
past participle, past
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glimpsing
present participle
verb (used without object)
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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
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a vague indication
he had a glimpse of what the lecturer meant
-
archaic a glimmer of light
verb
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(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
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glimpsesimple
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glimpsessimple
-
have glimpsedperfect
-
has glimpsedperfect
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am glimpsingprogressive
-
are glimpsingprogressive
-
is glimpsingprogressive
-
have been glimpsingperfect progressive
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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
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"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
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List 15
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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 three-metre "dusky" shark, a species typically found in tropical climates, amassed a huge following, drawing more than 1.6 million people to the Busan canal for a glimpse.
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026
A newly identified freshwater cave snail in China is offering scientists a rare glimpse into the little-known aquatic ecosystems hidden beneath East Asia.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 21, 2026
The sprawling Texas estate where boxing legend George Foreman spent the final decades of his life has hit the market for $6 million—offering a rare glimpse inside the private world of the heavyweight champion.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 21, 2026
Apple’s newest smart home device offers a glimpse at a different future.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
Better, even, because he didn’t have to crowd in line or be hurried away after a single glimpse.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
In Crete, Manchester City's Laura Blindkilde Brown, 23, showed glimpses of her ball-playing ability, while in the second leg 20-year-old Chelsea academy graduate Potter impressed in midfield.
From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026
Her glimpses of the uncanny awaken dormant instincts of motherhood.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
In between these interviews are glimpses of the occasional Israeli news media snippet and at one point an archival reminder of the circumstances of Tel Aviv’s founding.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
He has shown only glimpses of his excellent domestic form, returning a high score of 21.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
Here and there upon heights and ridges they caught glimpses of ancient walls of stone, and the ruins of towers: they had an ominous look.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
In a side room I glimpsed a religious-education class being led, with older participants seated before a lecturer who had scriptures projected on a screen.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 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
But the character who interested me most was Bonnie, whose reality is only glimpsed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 21, 2026
All night I sat wondering about the gorilla I’d glimpsed.
From "The One and Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate
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
Disney executives wanted to make sure the company’s fee dispute did not turn into an impediment to viewers glimpsing history being made.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2024
“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
From what I’d been able to figure out, I had to touch someone for my abilities to take hold, and even then...it was more like I was glimpsing their thoughts, rather than screwing with them.
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
