Standard Lemma guide

gloam

noun · verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: G L OW1 M Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Clipping of gloaming (“twilight”).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To begin to grow dark; to grow dusky.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To be sullen or morose.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

the time of day immediately following sunset

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he loved the twilight
  • they finished before the fall of night

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: twilight, dusk, gloaming, nightfall, evenfall, fall, crepuscule, crepuscle

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: hour, time of day

Narrower terms: night

History

Etymology

Back-formation from gloaming.

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: temnět — to grow dusky
  • Czech: potemnět — to grow dusky
  • Czech: šeřit se — to grow dusky