dazzle

verb

daz·​zle ˈda-zəl How to pronounce dazzle (audio)
dazzled; dazzling ˈdaz-liŋ How to pronounce dazzle (audio)
ˈda-zə-liŋ

intransitive verb

1
: to lose clear vision especially from looking at bright light
2
a
: to shine brilliantly
… the woods dazzled whitely …Truman Capote
b
: to arouse admiration by an impressive display
She dazzles in her live concerts.

transitive verb

1
: to overpower with light
was dazzled by the camera flash
2
: to impress deeply, overpower, or confound with brilliance
dazzled us with her wit
dazzle noun
dazzler noun

Examples of dazzle in a Sentence

Elvis always dazzled his audiences. Visitors were dazzled by the mansion's ornate rooms. She truly dazzles in her live concerts.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Inside the pope’s final hours: Francis dazzled the crowd during a popemobile trip into St. Peter's Square on Easter Sunday. Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025 Aim to dazzle with your integrative, deep thought processes. Rebecca Fraser-Thill, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025 On April 30, your celestial ruler, Venus, returns to Aries, dazzling your seventh house of partnerships, while making your one-on-one connections a major focus this season. Valerie Mesa, People.com, 19 Apr. 2025 The annual Lyrid meteor shower will soon peak, lighting up the night sky with dazzling shooting stars. Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dazzle

Word History

Etymology

frequentative of daze

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dazzle was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dazzle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dazzle. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

dazzle

verb
daz·​zle ˈdaz-əl How to pronounce dazzle (audio)
dazzled; dazzling -(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce dazzle (audio)
1
: to overpower with light
the desert sunlight dazzled us
2
: to impress greatly or confuse with brilliance
dazzled the crowds with fiery speeches
dazzle noun
dazzler noun
dazzlingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on dazzle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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