DictionaryAI

glow

SayGLOH/ɡloʊ/UK/ɡləʊ/

Verbglows, glowing, glowed

Noun pluralglows

9 meanings of glow

Practice

  1. 1
    verbintransitive
    To shine with a soft, steady light, like hot coals.

    The night-light glows softly in the baby's room.

    The coals in the grill glow orange after the flames die down.

    Similarshine, gleam

  2. 2
    faint lightnounusually singular
    The light that comes from something that is glowing.

    We read stories by the glow of the campfire.

    The glow of the TV lit up the dark room.

    UsageSay the glow of the fire, or read by the glow of a lamp.

    Similarlight, gleam, radiance

  3. 3
    warm colornounusually singular
    A bright or warm color in a place or on a person, mostly on the face.

    After the long walk, the kids had a healthy glow in their cheeks.

    The sunset gave the whole beach a pink glow.

    UsageSay a healthy glow in your cheeks.

    Similarflush, blush, bloom

    Note
  4. 4
    show feelingverbintransitive
    To show a very strong feeling, like joy or pride, so that others can see it.

    The kids glow with excitement on the last day of school.

    She was glowing with pride when her son won the prize.

    UsageSay glow with pride or glow with happiness.

    Similarbeam, radiate

    Note
  5. 5
    nounusually singular
    A strong, warm feeling inside, such as love or excitement.

    Helping her neighbor left her with a warm glow.

    He still felt the glow of their first date days later.

    UsageSay a warm glow, or the glow of a win.

    Similarwarmth

  6. 6
    verbintransitive
    To give off heat, like a hot stove or hot metal.

    The stove top can glow red and is too hot to touch.

    The iron bar glowed red-hot, and we could feel its heat from across the room.

    UsageSay metal glows red or glows white-hot.

Less common meanings

  1. 7
    verbintransitive
    To feel hot, like your skin after running or rubbing against something.

    My hands glow and sting after a snowball fight.

    After rubbing her hands together, she felt them glow with warmth.

    Similartingle, burn, flush

    Note
  2. 8
    verbobsoletetransitive
    To make something, such as a person's cheeks, hot and red.
    Fans, whose wind did seem / To glow the delicate cheeks which they did cool.
    c. 1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”Here, glow means to make the cheeks hot and red.
    Note
  3. 9
    verb
    To be part of a secret trap set by police, usually online and often by US government agents.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of glow apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

Probably from Old English glōwan, an old Germanic word related to German glühen.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 1 fact