Gleam vs. Sparkle — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Gleam and Sparkle
ADVERTISEMENT
Compare with Definitions
Gleam
A brief beam or flash of light
Saw gleams of daylight through the cracks.
Sparkle
Shine brightly with flashes of light
Her earrings sparkled as she turned her head
Gleam
A steady but subdued shining; a glow
The gleam of burnished gold.
Sparkle
Be vivacious and witty
After a glass of wine, she began to sparkle
Gleam
A brief or dim indication; a trace
A gleam of intelligence.
ADVERTISEMENT
Sparkle
A glittering flash of light
There was a sparkle in his eyes
Gleam
To emit a gleam; flash or glow
"Their tile roofs gleamed in the moon's pallid radiance" (Laura Joh Rowland).
Sparkle
Vivacity and wit
She's got a kind of sparkle
Gleam
To be reflected as a gleam
The sun gleamed on the water.
Sparkle
To give off sparks.
Gleam
To be manifested or indicated briefly or faintly.
Sparkle
To give off or reflect flashes of light; glitter
"The night seemed very large and still, and the stars sparkled like frost in the black sky" (Laura Ingalls Wilder). "The diamonds sparkled in a sunset ray that came through the slats of the shutters" (Edith Wharton).
Gleam
(countable) An appearance of light, especially one which is indistinct or small, or short-lived.
Sparkle
To be reflected in small flashes of light
"The light of the rising moon sparkled on the sea" (Arthur C. Clarke).
Gleam
An indistinct sign of something; a glimpse or hint.
The rescue workers preserved a gleam of optimism that the trapped miners might still survive.
Sparkle
To be brilliant in performance.
Gleam
A bright, but intermittent or short-lived, appearance of something.
Sparkle
To make or contain witty or intelligently lively remarks
Their conversation sparkled all evening.
Gleam
A look of joy or liveliness on one's face.
Sparkle
To release gas bubbles; effervesce
Champagne sparkles.
Gleam
(obsolete)
Sparkle
A small spark or gleaming particle.
Gleam
(countable) Sometimes as hot gleam: a warm ray of sunlight; also, a period of warm weather, for instance, between showers of rain.
Sparkle
A glittering quality.
Gleam
(uncountable) Brightness or shininess; radiance, splendour.
Sparkle
Brilliant animation; vivacity.
Gleam
(transitive) Chiefly in conjunction with an adverb: to cause (light) to shine.
Sparkle
Emission of gas bubbles; effervescence.
Gleam
(intransitive)
Sparkle
A little spark; a scintillation.
Gleam
To shine, especially in an indistinct or intermittent manner; to glisten, to glitter.
Sparkle
Brilliance; luster.
The sparkle of a diamond
Gleam
(figuratively) To be strongly but briefly apparent.
Sparkle
Liveliness; vivacity.
The sparkle of his conversation over dinner
Gleam
Of a hawk or other bird of prey: to disgorge filth from its crop or gorge.
Sparkle
The quality of being sparkling or fizzy; effervescence.
Gleam
To disgorge filth, as a hawk.
Sparkle
(intransitive) To emit sparks; to throw off ignited or incandescent particles
The wood was sparkling in the bonfire.
Gleam
To shoot, or dart, as rays of light; as, at the dawn, light gleams in the east.
Sparkle
(by extension) To shine as if throwing off sparks; to emit flashes of light; to scintillate; to twinkle
The stars sparkle in the sky.
Gleam
To shine; to cast light; to glitter.
Sparkle
(intransitive) To manifest itself by, or as if by, emitting sparks; to glisten; to flash.
Gleam
To shoot out (flashes of light, etc.).
Dying eyes gleamed forth their ashy lights.
Sparkle
(intransitive) To emit little bubbles, as certain kinds of liquors; to effervesce
Sparkling wine
Sparkling water
Gleam
A shoot of light; a small stream of light; a beam; a ray; a glimpse.
Transient unexpected gleams of joi.
At last a gleamOf dawning light turned thitherward in hasteHis [Satan's] traveled steps.
A glimmer, and then a gleam of light.
Sparkle
(transitive) To emit in the form or likeness of sparks.
Gleam
Brightness; splendor.
In the clear azure gleam the flocks are seen.
Sparkle
To disperse.
Gleam
An appearance of reflected light
Sparkle
To scatter on or over.
Gleam
A flash of light (especially reflected light)
Sparkle
A little spark; a scintillation.
As fire is wont to quicken and goFrom a sparkle sprungen amiss,Till a city brent up is.
The shock was sufficiently strong to strike out some sparkles of his fiery temper.
Gleam
Be shiny, as if wet;
His eyes were glistening
Sparkle
Brilliancy; luster; as, the sparkle of a diamond.
Gleam
Shine brightly, like a star or a light
Sparkle
To emit sparks; to throw off ignited or incandescent particles; to shine as if throwing off sparks; to emit flashes of light; to scintillate; to twinkle; as, the blazing wood sparkles; the stars sparkle.
A mantelet upon his shoulder hangingBretful of rubies red, as fire sparkling.
Gleam
Appear briefly;
A terrible thought gleamed in her mind
Sparkle
To manifest itself by, or as if by, emitting sparks; to glisten; to flash.
I see bright honor sparkle through your eyes.
Sparkle
To emit little bubbles, as certain kinds of liquors; to effervesce; as, sparkling wine.
Sparkle
To emit in the form or likeness of sparks.
Sparkle
To disperse.
The Landgrave hath sparkled his army without any further enterprise.
Sparkle
To scatter on or over.
Sparkle
Brightness and animation of countenance;
He had a sparkle in his eye
Sparkle
The occurrence of a small flash or spark
Sparkle
The quality of glittering or sparkling brightly
Sparkle
Reflect brightly;
Unquarried marble sparkled on the hillside
Sparkle
Be lively or brilliant or exhibit virtuosity;
The musical performance sparkled
A scintillating conversation
His playing coruscated throught the concert hall
Sparkle
Emit or produce sparks;
A high tension wire, brought down by a storm, can continue to spark
Sparkle
Form bubbles;
The boiling soup was frothing
The river was foaming
Sparkling water
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Optional vs. Obligatory
Next Comparison
Bury vs. Inter
