Definition

1. Noun:

   • A steady, warm, and even light without flames: A soft, often reddish or warm light emitted by something hot or luminous.
   • A feeling of warmth: A pleasant sensation of heat in the body.
   • A warm color or appearance on the skin: A healthy, reddish color on a person's face, often from emotion, health, or heat.
   • A feeling of pleasure, happiness, or enthusiasm: A strong positive emotion that seems to emanate from a person.

2. Verb:

   • To emit a steady, warm light without flames: To shine with a soft, often warm light.
   • To have a warm, healthy, or reddish color in the face: To show color in the cheeks, typically from emotion, health, or physical warmth.
   • To feel or show strong emotion, especially happiness or health: To be filled with and radiate a positive feeling.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:

  • The warm glow of the fireplace made the room cozy. (The steady, flame-less light from the fireplace created a cozy atmosphere.)
  • After her run, she felt a healthy glow all over. (She experienced a pleasant feeling of warmth throughout her body.)
  • There was a glow of pride on his face when he received the award. (His face showed a warm color and expression of pride.)

• Verb:

  • The embers continued to glow in the dark. (The pieces of hot coal emitted a steady red light.)
  • Her cheeks began to glow from the cold winter air. (Her cheeks became reddish because of the cold.)
  • He glowed with excitement about his upcoming trip. (He radiated happiness and enthusiasm.)

Advanced Usage

• "to glow with pride/health/happiness": To visibly show a strong positive emotion or state through one's appearance.

  • The new parents glowed with pride as they held their baby.

• "in the glow of": Experiencing or benefiting from the positive atmosphere or light of something.

  • They dined in the gentle glow of candlelight.

Variants and Related Words

• Glowing (adjective): Emitting a glow; very positive and enthusiastic.
  • She gave a glowing review of the restaurant. (Her review was full of praise.)
• Afterglow (noun): The light or feeling that remains after the source has gone.
  • The afterglow of the sunset painted the sky in hues of orange and purple.

Synonyms

• Noun: Radiance, gleam, warmth, luminosity, flush.
• Verb: Shine, radiate, beam, flush, blaze (without flames).

Phrasal Verbs / Common Collocations

• Glow up (informal): To undergo a positive transformation in appearance, confidence, or success.
  • She really glowed up after focusing on her health and style.

Idioms and Fixed Expressions

• The glow of (something): The positive feeling or atmosphere associated with an event or period.
  • They were still basking in the glow of their wedding day.
• To cast/emit a glow: To produce and spread a soft light.
  • The lanterns cast a soft glow over the patio.

Noun

1. an appearance of reflected light
2. the amount of electromagnetic radiation leaving or arriving at a point on a surface
3. a steady even light without flames
4. a feeling of considerable warmth
   • the glow of new love
   • a glow of regret
5. the phenomenon of light emission by a body as its temperature is raised
6. light from nonthermal sources
7. an alert and refreshed state

Verb

1. experience a feeling of well-being or happiness, as from good health or an intense emotion
   • She was beaming with joy
   • Her face radiated with happiness
2. be exuberant or high-spirited
   • Make the people's hearts glow
3. shine intensely, as if with heat
   • The coals were glowing in the dark
   • The candles were burning
4. have a complexion with a strong bright color, such as red or pink
   • Her face glowed when she came out of the sauna
5. emit a steady even light without flames
   • The fireflies were glowing and flying about in the garden