Word
glimpse
US/ˈɡɫɪmps/
UK/ɡlˈɪmps/
Definitions
01a brief look
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a quick look at something that you do not see clearly or fully.
n. a brief and often incomplete view of something. Usually followed by the preposition 'of'.
“I caught a glimpse of the famous actor as he ran into the hotel.”
“Through the dense morning fog, the hikers caught a fleeting glimpse of the mountain peak before it was obscured once more.”
Usage
Commonly used in the phrase 'catch a glimpse of'.
02a brief understanding
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. a short or small look into a complicated idea or situation.
n. a momentary or partial perception of an intangible concept or situation.
“The documentary gives us a glimpse into the daily lives of deep-sea divers.”
“The leaked documents provided a fascinating glimpse into the internal power struggles of the administration during the crisis.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'into'.
03to see briefly
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to see something for a very short time.
v. to see or perceive someone or something briefly and incompletely. Transitive — takes a direct object.
“She glimpsed a bright red bird flying through the trees.”
“As the train sped past the station, he glimpsed his old friend standing on the platform among the commuters.”
Usage
In the active voice, the object follows the verb directly without a preposition.
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “glimpse” in context.
Verb
01. catch a glimpse of the actor
“Fans waited outside the theater for hours just to catch a glimpse of the actor.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
02. get a glimpse of the valley
“As the clouds parted, we finally managed to get a glimpse of the valley below.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
03. offer a glimpse into the future
“The new prototype offers a fascinating glimpse into the future of sustainable energy.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
Adjective
04. rare glimpse
“The documentary provides a rare glimpse into the private lives of these reclusive animals.”
adj + noun
05. fleeting glimpse
“I only had a fleeting glimpse of the driver before the car sped away.”
adj + noun
06. tantalizing glimpse
“The trailer provides a tantalizing glimpse of the upcoming cinematic masterpiece.”
adj + noun
Preposition
07. at a first glimpse
“At a first glimpse, the data appeared consistent, but closer inspection revealed errors.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“Across Scotland, lucky skygazers have caught glimpses of the eclipse - despite cloud covering much of the view.” “But that did not deter people - colanders, cereal boxes and pieces of paper were deployed to offer them a glimpse of the partial eclipse safely.” Etymology
The verb is derived from earlier glimse (obsolete), from Middle English glimsen (“to dazzle; to glisten; to glance with the eyes”), possibly from Old English glimsian, from Proto-West Germanic glimmisōjan, from Proto-Germanic glimō, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰley- (“to shine”). Doublet of glimmer. The noun is derived from the verb. Cognates Middle Dutch glinsen (modern Dutch glinsteren (“to glint, glitter, shimmer, sparkle; to glance”), glimmen (“to gleam, shine”)) Middle High German glimsen (“to glow, smoulder”), glinsen (“to glimmer, shine”) Middle Low German glinsen, glintzen, glinzen (“to shimmer, shine”)
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/glimpse