glisten

Everyday

1. To glisten means to shine with a soft, sparkly light because something is wet or oily. tree →
2. Eyes glisten when they are full of tears. tree →

In the lessons

In stories and descriptive writing, glisten is a lovely word for wet things shining: dew on grass, a seal's skin, a road after rain. It helps the reader see and feel the scene. Phrases: glisten with sweat, glistening with tears, glistening snow.

Examples

• Dew glistened on the grass in the morning. tree →
• The seal's wet fur glistened in the sun. tree →
• Her eyes glistened with tears at the end of the film. tree →
• The road glistened after the rain. tree →
• His forehead glistened with sweat after the race. tree →
• The fresh snow glistened under the street lights. tree →
• The cherries glistened in the bowl. tree →
• From every twig glistened a white radiance. tree →

Note

The «t» is silent: say «GLISS-en». Glisten is used mostly for wet or oily shine; glitter is for tiny flashing sparkles, and glint for a quick flash of light.