noun / verb

glimmer

GLIM-er/ˈɡlɪmər/

A faint, unsteady appearance of light.

A faint glimmer of candlelight shows beneath the door.

A nearly spent candle in a plain holder gives off a tiny, wavering flame and a faint glow, making the literal sense of glimmer immediately visible.

Etymology

Glimmer may come from, or be related to, Middle Dutch glimmen. The English verb shifted from shining brightly to shining faintly, giving the noun its image of weak light and, figuratively, a slight indication.

In context

TBN3:01

they're looking for some Hope just any glimmer of hope that something might change for them

Joyce Meyer: Motivation in Life's Difficult Times (Full Sermon) | TBN

More examples

Distant lights glimmer through the fog.
Small glimmers of light dance across the dark water.
The latest news offers a glimmer of hope.

Forms

glimmer · glimmers · glimmered · glimmering

Similar words

gleam: Often suggests a brighter or steadier light than glimmer.
flicker: Emphasizes irregular changes in brightness rather than faintness.
shimmer: Suggests soft, wavering light spread across a surface.