glossy

1 of 2

adjective

ˈglä-sē

ˈglȯ-

glossier; glossiest

: having a surface luster or brightness

rich glossy leather

glossy paper

: attractive in an artificially opulent, sophisticated, or smoothly captivating manner : slick

lots of glossy and phony chatter

glossily

ˈglä-sə-lē

ˈglȯ-

adverb

glossiness

ˈglä-sē-nəs

ˈglȯ-

noun

glossy

2 of 2

noun

plural glossies

: a photograph printed on smooth shiny paper

chiefly British : slick sense 5

Choose the Right Synonym for glossy

sleek, slick, glossy mean having a smooth bright surface or appearance.

sleek suggests a smoothness or brightness resulting from attentive grooming or physical conditioning.

a sleek racehorse

slick suggests extreme smoothness that results in a slippery surface.

slipped and fell on the slick floor

glossy suggests a highly reflective surface.

photographs having a glossy finish

Example Sentences

Adjective a plant with glossy green leaves the glossy finish on the gym floor

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Anne Hathaway Hathaway's glossy hair looks great with any style.

Kristina Rodulfo, ELLE, 16 Nov. 2022 We are still mesmerized by the images of Didion: the sybil’s gaze, the glossy hair, the elegant carriage.

Roxana Robinson, The New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2022 Both made glossy hair a signature, with Blair making an excellent case for bow headbands and berets.

Elle Turner, Glamour, 18 Oct. 2022 For glam, Jenner opted for a sultry yet subtle smokey eye and glossy lips.

Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 9 Aug. 2022 Journalist Sibley Scoles looks like a silver screen star with her glossy gray hair at the 2021 51st NAACP Image Awards.

Wendy Sy, Allure, 28 July 2022 Pat McGrath’s Lust Lip Gloss or Dior’s Lip Maximizer will surely perfect that glossy pout.

Kiana Murden, Vogue, 8 Apr. 2022 Her shoulder-length blond hair is stick straight, her lips in their signature glossy pout.

WSJ, 26 Nov. 2021 Somehow, Lady Gaga managed to solve this issue, giving us a lacquer that actually stays all day, looks glossy, and doesn’t make your lips sticky.

Tatjana Freund, ELLE, 15 Nov. 2022

Noun

This product goes on glossy and leaves behind a subtle sheen and color that will last all day.

Tatjana Freund, ELLE, 3 Aug. 2022 The officer stopped the SIV, and the officer noticed the driver’s eyes were bloodshot and glossy and her cheeks were flushed.

Bruce Geiselman, cleveland, 23 Oct. 2021 In fact, the same paint color can look completely different based on the finish, from matte to glossy and every sheen in between.

Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 6 Apr. 2021 Wow’s Extra Shine spray, designed to create a glossy, but not greasy, shine.

Sarah Midkiff, refinery29.com, 24 Nov. 2020 Because Gibson has so many antiques, Hillery suggested adding in a glossy, Granny Smith-green Oomph console as a more modern accent.

Emma Bazilian, House Beautiful, 25 Sep. 2020 Valentina Sampaio has been named a 2020 rookie and is the first transgender model to appear in the glossy’s pages.

Barry Samaha, Harper's BAZAAR, 10 July 2020 In some ways, that has been the story of most mainstream glossies, Vogue and Elle included.

New York Times, 17 Jan. 2020 Girls with a flair for filters outmaneuvered traditional fashion glossies, upending millions in traditional advertising and marketing spend.

Kate Bowers, Fortune, 19 Dec. 2019 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'glossy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.