glow

glow — verb

1. to give out a steady light, often with some warmth, without flames or sparks

1.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to give out a steady light, often with some warmth, without flames or sparks

Example

The coals in the fireplace continued to glow long after the flames had died down.

adverb phrase: continued to glow + time clause

The screen of Nikhil's phone glowed in the dark room as he checked the time.

Common collocations
  • glow softly
  • glow brightly
  • glow red/orange
  • glow in the dark
Synonyms
  • shine

    brighter and can be reflected light; glow is softer

  • glimmer

    fainter and unsteady, while glow is steady

  • radiate

    more formal, used for light emitted in all directions from a source

Antonyms
  • fade

    to lose brightness gradually

  • darken

    to become darker or lose light

Grammar Patterns

glow + adverb/prepositional phrase

Usage Note

Unlike 'shine,' which can describe reflected or emitted light, 'glow' always refers to light that comes from the object itself, not light bouncing off it.

Common Mistakes

The mirror glowed in the sunlight.
The mirror shone in the sunlight.
Mirrors reflect light; glow is for light produced by the object itself.

2. to show happiness, pride, or health through a bright and attractive look on your

2.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to show happiness, pride, or health through a bright and attractive look on your face, especially in your eyes

Example

Megan's face glowed with pride when she received her university diploma on stage.

pattern: glow with + emotion noun

Xiu's eyes glowed as she talked about her new painting project.

Common collocations
  • glow with pride
  • glow with happiness
  • face glows
  • eyes glow
Synonyms
  • beam

    to smile with happiness; more active and deliberate than glow

  • shine

    can describe a happy face but less specific than glow

Grammar Patterns

glow with + emotion noun

Usage Note

Frequently used with 'with' followed by an emotion noun: glow with pride, glow with happiness, glow with excitement. The subject is usually a person's face, eyes, or cheeks.

Common Mistakes

She glowed with a new car.
She glowed with pride about her new car.
The glow comes from an emotion, not from an object.

3. to become red or hot on your skin after doing physical exercise or from being in

3.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to become red or hot on your skin after doing physical exercise or from being in heat

Example

After an hour of running, Linh's cheeks were glowing bright red in the cold air.

color adjective: glowing bright red

Minho's skin glowed from the heat as he stepped off the squash court.

Common collocations
  • cheeks glow
  • skin glows
  • face glows pink/red
Synonyms
  • flush

    to become red suddenly, often from emotion rather than exercise

  • blush

    to go red from embarrassment, not physical activity

Grammar Patterns

glow + adverb/adjective complement

Usage Note

This sense describes visible redness, not just feeling hot. The person does not control the glow — it is a natural physical reaction to effort or warmth.

Common Mistakes

I glowed after eating spicy food.
My face was glowing after the five-kilometer run.
This sense is for exercise or heat, not for food reactions.

4. to have a deep, rich colour that catches the eye, especially in warm tones such

4.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to have a deep, rich colour that catches the eye, especially in warm tones such as gold, red, or orange

Example

The autumn leaves glowed gold and orange in the late afternoon sunlight.

color complements: glow gold and orange

The sky above the beach glowed with shades of pink and purple as the sun went down.

Common collocations
  • glow gold/red/crimson
  • glow with colour
  • glow in the sunlight
Synonyms
  • radiate

    suggests light or colour spreading outward from a centre

  • blaze

    much brighter and more intense than glow

Grammar Patterns

glow + color adjective/adverb

Usage Note

Unlike verb sense 1 (EMIT LIGHT), this sense focuses on the warm quality of the colour itself, not on whether the object produces its own light. A stained-glass window glows because light shines through it.

glow — noun

Word family

  • glowing
    adjectiveB2
  • glowingly
    adverbC1
  • glowstick
    nounB2
  • glowworm
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

These four words all describe light, but each creates a different image. 'Glow' means a steady, even light that comes from the object itself, often with warmth — like embers in a fireplace or a candle flame. 'Shine' usually describes light bouncing off a surface (the sun shines on water) or a very bright emitted light (the sun shines). 'Gleam' is a quick flash of light from a polished surface — a sword gleams when it catches the light for a moment. 'Glimmer' is a weak, unsteady light that seems to come and go — stars glimmer on a humid night, or a distant candle glimmers in the wind. 'Radiate' is more formal and suggests light or energy spreading outward in all directions from a centre, like heat radiating from a heater. For a warm, comfortable light that stays steady and is produced by the object itself, 'glow' is the best choice.

shine ↗gleamglimmerradiate

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • glow in the dark
  • glow with pride
  • glow with happiness
  • a warm glow
  • a healthy glow

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'glow' comes from Old English 'glōwan,' meaning to shine or be bright. It goes back to the Proto-Germanic root *glō- (to shine, be warm), which is also the source of 'gleam' and 'glimmer.' Further back, it traces to the Proto-Indo-European root *ghel- (to shine, bright), which gave rise to many English words including 'gold,' 'glass,' 'glitter,' and 'glee.' The connection between light and warmth has been part of the word from the very beginning.