glimpse

1 of 2

verb

glimpsed; glimpsing

transitive verb

: to get a brief look at
glimpsed him as he sped by in his car

intransitive verb

1
: to look briefly
glimpsed at the letter and then threw it aside
2
archaic : glimmer
glimpser noun

glimpse

2 of 2

noun

1
: a fleeting view or look
caught only a glimpse of the mugger
2
archaic : glimmer

Examples of glimpse in a Sentence

Verb We glimpsed him through the window as his car sped past. just glimpsed at the photo then turned his attention elsewhere Noun We caught a glimpse of him through the window as his car sped past. I only got a glimpse of him as we drove by.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
And as long as stargazers are in a dark location, equipment like telescopes and binoculars shouldn't be necessary to glimpse a shooting star. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 4 Nov. 2024 As soon as the Brulé glimpsed Harney’s troops the women began to strike tepees, loading lodge poles, skins and other belongings onto travois, sledges drawn by horses and dogs. Tim Madigan, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
Noun
Instead of offering viewers a glimpse of the big reveal in each episode, we get walloped with a U-turn over the course of two or three episodes. Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024 The presentation offers a glimpse at how SpaceX views the long-term future of Starlink. Michael Kan, PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for glimpse 

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English glimsen; akin to Middle High German glimsen to glimmer, Old English glǣm gleam

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Noun

circa 1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of glimpse was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near glimpse

Cite this Entry

“Glimpse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glimpse. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

glimpse

1 of 2 verb
glimpsed; glimpsing
: to take a brief look : see momentarily or incompletely
glimpsed the deer running
glimpser noun

glimpse

2 of 2 noun
: a short hurried view
catch a glimpse of something rushing by

More from Merriam-Webster on glimpse

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!