SHEEN Synonyms: 76 Similar and Opposite Words

sheen 1 of 2

noun

Definition of sheen

as in gleam

brightness created by light reflected from a surface polished the metal until it had an even sheen

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sheen

2 of 2

verb

as in to shimmer

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of sheen

Noun

In a film full of surfaces — Pattinson’s TV-ready sheen, a physical landscape dominated by ever-present screens — his guileless vulnerability provides necessary depth. — Joe Reid, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026 High-sheen lips without the stickiness that usually accompanies lip glosses? — Sarah Han, Allure, 24 Sep. 2026

Verb

There’s a painterly look to the image, rather than the typical slop-style sickly sheen, but the AI origins are still unmistakable. — Cath Virginia, The Verge, 11 Apr. 2026 The pigmentation of this formula is quite strong and leaves behind a glow that isn’t overly sparkly or sheen. — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sheen

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sheen

Noun

Many of us were not a gleam in our parents’ eyes when Monterey Pop took place.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2026
Related Stories Cruise, declaiming every line, acting with blind bluster and a mean gleam of good-ol’-boy joy, makes Digger a walking cartoon — a larger-than-life satire of over-the-top American arrogance, like LBJ crossed with Foghorn Leghorn.

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of gleam

Verb

The spa Done up in shimmering marble mosaics, the hotel’s petite subterranean spa takes its cues from the Turkish baths at London’s Royal Automobile Club and the original YMCA in New York.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
The image was captured by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), with stars that shimmer periodically on the search engine's home page.

— Josh Dinner, Space.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of shimmer

Noun

What sets this story apart, Nakajima says, is that Nobita, a human, ends up beneath the waves because he was bathed in the glow of the Adaptation Ray.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Oct. 2026
Every nightfall is different — different seasonal colors, angels, weather, celestial glows, grasses and shadows.

— Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of glow

Verb

Szor's camera captures the glittering lights of the city and often peers into apartment windows, showing us Israeli citizens working out, eating meals and watching the news.

— Justin Chang, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026
Every December 31, hundreds of thousands of people gather for hours in the cold to stare at One Times Square and wait for a glittering ball to slide down its flagpole.

— Justin Davidson, Curbed, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of glitter

Noun

And because water and most other liquids can’t persist on a planet’s surface without an insulating blanket of air, seeing such a glint could signal the presence of an atmosphere as well.

— Phil Plait, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026
Now that the greige days are finally behind us, a glint of sparkle truly delights.

— Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of glint

Noun

Except in large telescopes, the satellites might be lost in the glare of the bright lunar crescent just prior to disappearing behind the moon, but their emergence from behind the Moon's dark side should be especially dramatic.

— Joe Rao, Space.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Even in blazing sunlight, the screen cuts right through the glare without washing out.

— Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of glare

Verb

On Tuesday, the jewelry and silversmith firm will open a Caviar Bar at its Milan showroom in Palazzo Gavazzi, where Buccellati jewels and its table and decor pieces will glimmer among Chahan Minassian’s interior designs and vice versa.

— Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
After about 30 minutes of searching, Smith spotted something glimmering in the East Drain section of the park — but initially mistook it for mica, a glittery and common mineral.

— Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of glimmer

Browse Nearby Words

sheds

sheen

sheened

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Sheen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sheen. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of sheen

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

inscrutable

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes