dazzle

verb

daz·​zle ˈda-zəl 

dazzled; dazzling ˈdaz-liŋ 

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

ˈda-z(ə-)lər 

noun

Synonyms

• bedazzle
• blind
• daze

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

Years after dazzling in primetime by covering herself in fake blood, Gaga had graced the Oscars stage with utmost elegance, capable of evolving her talents and becoming a stately pop spokeswoman. —Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 5 Nov. 2024

The sisters from North Carolina bought five tickets to see the show with their girls — Sadie, 14, Mary Seaton, 12 and Louise, 8 — and flew to Indianapolis for the first time to watch Swift dazzle on stage. —Alysa Guffey, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Nov. 2024

In the right hands, this conflation of narrative and critique can have dazzling results. —Sloane Crosley, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2024

It was created in 2014 and honors the late German designer’s legacy, from his sunglasses to his suits and dazzling black racer gloves. —Nadja Sayej, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

frequentative of daze

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing dazzle

• razzle-dazzle

Kids Definition

dazzle

verb

daz·​zle ˈdaz-əl 

dazzled; dazzling -(ə-)liŋ 

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

-(ə-)lər 

noun

dazzlingly

-(ə-)liŋ-lē 

adverb