glitter
gb/ɡlˈɪtɚ/ us/ɡlˈɪtɚ/
B1
English
~ 9100
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B2
action
1
shine with many small flashes
To shine with many small, bright points of light.
Usage pattern:
to glitter in/under [light/place]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse "glitter" with "sparkle" and "shine". "Shine" is more general and can describe steady light, while "glitter" suggests many small, sharp flashes. Another mistake is using it as an adjective (*a glitter dress*); the correct adjective is "glittery" or "glittering".
Synonyms
sparkle (Very close in meaning; slightly more common overall and can sound a bit more positive or lively.)
|
twinkle (Suggests softer, small flashes of light, often used for eyes or distant lights.)
|
glint (Usually refers to a quick, small flash of light rather than continuous shining.)
Antonyms
dull (Describes something that does not shine or reflect light; the opposite of glittering brightly.)
Collocations
stars glitter
|eyes glitter
|glitter in the sun
|glitter under the lights
|glitter with excitement
|glitter with jewels
Themes
nature
|appearance
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The city lights glittered in the distance as the plane came in to land.
- Her earrings glittered under the stage lights.
- His eyes glittered with anger when he heard the news.
- The snow glittered in the morning sun like a field of tiny diamonds.
- Thousands of glass pieces glittered on the floor after the chandelier fell.
Learner examples
- The stars glittered in the dark sky.
- Her dress glittered when she walked into the room.
- The lake glittered in the strong sunlight.
- His eyes glittered with joy.
- Small pieces of glass glittered on the ground.
Noun
B1
entity
2
tiny shiny decoration pieces
Very small, shiny pieces used to decorate things or the body.
Usage pattern:
to put [glitter] on [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes treat "glitter" as a countable noun (*a glitter*, *many glitters*). It is normally uncountable in this sense: "some glitter", "a bit of glitter", "two jars of glitter". Another mistake is confusing the noun and verb: "I glitter my card" is unusual; more natural is "I put glitter on my card" or the verb "I decorated my card with glitter."
Synonyms
sparkles (Informal and less precise; can refer to shiny bits in general rather than the specific craft material.)
|
sequins (Larger, flat, shiny plastic pieces usually sewn onto clothing, not loose powder-like pieces.)
Antonyms
matte finish (Describes a surface with no shine or sparkle, the opposite of being covered with glitter.)
Collocations
loose glitter
|glitter glue
|covered in glitter
|gold glitter
|glitter eyeshadow
|bags of glitter
Themes
daily life
|fashion
|arts
|arts_entertainment
|clothing
|daily_life
Examples
- There was glitter all over the floor after the kids finished their art project.
- She added silver glitter to the cards to make them more festive.
- The makeup artist brushed pink glitter onto the model's cheeks.
- He hates using glitter because it sticks to everything and never seems to go away.
- The costume sparkled with red and gold glitter under the stage lights.
Learner examples
- The children put glitter on the paper.
- There is glitter on my hands and hair.
- She bought blue and silver glitter for the party.
- His costume is covered in green glitter.
- Please do not use glitter in this room.
Noun
C1
entity
3
showy, often shallow glamour
A bright and rich look that seems exciting, but may not be deep or real.
Usage pattern:
the glitter of [place/lifestyle]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this abstract sense with the physical material. In phrases like "the glitter of Hollywood", it does NOT mean real craft glitter; it means the rich, exciting image of that world. Also, this sense is usually used in fixed phrases like "the glitter of X" or "glitter and glamour", not as a simple countable noun (*many glitters* is incorrect here).
Synonyms
glamour (Very close in meaning; focuses more on charm and attractiveness, not always with a negative or shallow feeling.)
|
showiness (Highlights being flashy and made to attract attention, often with a negative tone.)
Antonyms
simplicity (Suggests a plain, simple style without display or luxury, the opposite of glitter and showiness.)
Collocations
the glitter of Hollywood
|wealth and glitter
|glitter and glamour
|the glitter of show business
|the glitter of the fashion world
Themes
society
|entertainment
|lifestyle
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She was tired of the glitter of celebrity life and moved back to her hometown.
- Beneath the glitter of the luxury hotel lay stories of low-paid workers and long hours.
- The film shows both the glitter and the loneliness of life in the music industry.
- He was attracted by the glitter of the big city but soon realized how hard it was to live there.
- The charity works quietly behind the glitter of the high-profile fundraising events.
Learner examples
- She loved the glitter of city life.
- He wanted the glitter of money and fame.
- The glitter of the big show hides many problems.
- The book talks about the glitter and the dark side of the fashion world.
- They enjoy the glitter of expensive parties.
Verb
B2
action
4
cover or decorate with glitter
To put glitter on something to make it shiny and bright.
Usage pattern:
to glitter [something]
Common mistake:
Learners more often use a phrase like "put glitter on" instead of the verb "glitter". This verb is less common and can sound creative or informal, so in many cases "decorate with glitter" or "put glitter on" is safer. Avoid *"glitter on" [object] as a verb pattern; say "glitter [object]" or "put glitter on [object]".
Synonyms
bedazzle (Informal; often suggests adding many shiny decorations, sometimes excessively, and may sound humorous.)
Antonyms
strip (In this context, to remove decorations from something, which is the opposite of adding glitter.)
Collocations
glitter a card
|glittered shoes
|glittered costume
|glitter the poster
|glittered decorations
Themes
daily life
|arts
|arts_entertainment
|daily_life
Examples
- The children glittered their cards for the holiday party.
- She spent the afternoon glittering her shoes for the dance performance.
- They glittered the stage props so they would catch the light.
- He carefully glittered the banner with the team’s colors.
- We glittered the letters to make the sign stand out.
Learner examples
- The students glittered their posters for class.
- She glittered her mask for the school play.
- They glittered the invitations for the party.
- I want to glitter this box to make a gift.
- We glittered the stars on the paper.
Grammar
Dictionary form
glitter
IPA
GB/ɡlˈɪtɚ/
US/ɡlˈɪtɚ/
Syllables & stress
glit - ter (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (glit)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: glitter
- Plural: glitter, glitters
Verb
- Base: glitter
- 3rd Person Singular: glitters
- Present Participle: glittering
- Past: glittered
Word family
Forms
glitters
noun
glittering
verb
glittered
verb
Core family
glittery
adjective
Expressions
glitter and glamour
1/ɡlˈɪtɚ ˈænd ɡlˈæmɚ/
fixed phrase
rich, exciting, showy lifestyle
A rich, exciting, and beautiful lifestyle that looks very special, but may be more about show than real happiness.
Examples
- Many young actors move to the city dreaming of glitter and glamour.
- The magazine shows the glitter and glamour of the film festival, but not the hard work behind it.
- She says she is not interested in the glitter and glamour of the fashion world anymore.
all that glitters is not gold
1/ˈɔl ðˈæt ɡlˈɪtɚz ˈɪz nˈɑt ɡˈoʊld/
idiom
literary
Appearances can be deceptive
Not everything that looks nice or valuable is really good or valuable.
Examples
- Be careful when buying antiques—remember that all that glitters is not gold.
- She seemed perfect, but all that glitters is not gold.
all that glitters is not gold
2/ˈɔl ðˈæt ɡlˈɪtɚz ˈɪz nˈɑt ɡˈoʊld/
idiom
things that look good may not be
Things that look rich, beautiful, or good are not always truly good or valuable.
Examples
- The job offer sounded perfect, but all that glitters is not gold, and the working conditions were terrible.
- Remember that all that glitters is not gold when you see those perfect lives on social media.
- The fancy hotel looked amazing from the outside, but all that glitters is not gold; the rooms were dirty and small.