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DictionarydazzleImpressive brilliance
verb / noun

dazzle

DAZ-ul/ˈdæzl/

To overwhelm sight with intense brightness.

The intense low sun dazzles the cyclist, who raises a hand against the glare.

South Asian cyclist shields eyes from intense low sun glare, realistic bright light.
Etymology
dazzMiddle Englishto stun or bewilder
+leEnglishfrequentative verb ending

Built on a verb meaning “to stun or bewilder,” dazzle first described being stupefied. It came to mean overpowering people with light, then figuratively overwhelming them with brilliance or impressive display.

In context

Harvard Business Review0:45
Your primary job in the interview is to dazzle them with the fact that you're perfectly suited for the role.
Stand Out in a Job Interview | The Harvard Business Review Guide

More examples

  • Sunlight reflected off the snow dazzles our eyes.
  • The camera flash dazzled her for a moment.
  • I lower the shade to block the dazzle of the afternoon sun.

Forms

dazzle · dazzles · dazzled · dazzling

dazzling adjective — So bright that seeing becomes difficult.

Similar words

blind
Suggests complete loss of sight, sometimes permanent rather than temporary.
glare
Names harsh brightness itself, rather than its effect on sight.