WordGarden.ioglower
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /ˈɡlaʊə(r)/
US
- /ˈɡlaʊər/
Meanings
Verb
to look angrily or sullenly at someone
Noun
an angry or sullen look
Beyond the definition
Imagine a stormy sky - dark, heavy, and full of warning. That is the feeling behind this word. To glower at someone is to look at them with a dark, angry, or unfriendly expression. It is more than a quick look; it usually lasts for a moment and makes the anger easy to feel. A grumpy old man might do this at children playing too loudly, or a villain might do it at the hero before speaking. Think of it as an angry stare that says a lot without any words.
To glower is to look or stare at someone with a dark, sullen, hostile expression. It is not just about feeling angry, but about showing that anger clearly in your face, especially in your eyes. Unlike a glare, which can be quick and sharp, this kind of look often lasts longer and suggests deeper displeasure, resentment, or silent disapproval.
The word brings to mind lowered brows, narrowed eyes, and a face that clearly says, "I am not pleased." A person may glower at a frustrating situation, like a broken machine or a long line, but it is most often directed at another person. A teacher might glower at noisy students, a parent might glower at a child who has misbehaved, or a character in a story might glower to show anger, disapproval, or even a silent threat.
The meaning today is clear: it describes an intense, angry look that communicates a lot without speech. It fits moments of quiet anger better than loud shouting. When someone glowers, they may be upset, offended, annoyed, or full of dislike, and their face shows it before they say anything at all.
Examples
- 1
Restaurant complaint
He glowered at the waiter when his soup arrived cold.
- 2
Silent anger
She said nothing, just glowered across the table for the rest of dinner.
- 3
Classroom conflict
The teacher stopped talking when she saw two boys glowering at each other in the back row.
- 4
Political image
From the campaign poster, the candidate seemed to glower down at everyone walking past.
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- glowerverbnoun
Forms
- glowering-ing formverbnoun
- gloweredpast tenseverbnoun
- glowersverbnoun