glower

glower — verb

IPA/ˈɡlaʊər/
KK[ɡlˈaʊɚ]IPA/ˈɡlaʊ.ɚ/
  • glowerpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • glowers3rd person singular
  • glowering-ing form
  • gloweredpast simple

1. to fix your eyes in an angry way on someone or something, often pulling your eye

1.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to fix your eyes in an angry way on someone or something, often pulling your eyebrows together in order to show that you are annoyed or hostile, usually without speaking.

Example

When the referee made the call, Coach Esteban glowered at him from the sideline.

glower + at + noun phrase for target of anger

The old librarian glowered at the children who were running between the bookshelves.

glower + at + noun phrase for target

Common collocations
  • glower at someone/something
  • glower silently
  • glower darkly
  • glower angrily
Synonyms
  • glare

    suggests more intense, possibly confrontational anger; often shorter in duration

  • scowl

    focuses on the downward pull of the eyebrows and mouth; can express disapproval without direct eye contact

  • frown

    milder and more general — can signal confusion or concentration, not just anger

Antonyms
  • smile

    the opposite facial expression, showing friendliness or warmth

Grammar Patterns

glower + at + noun phrase

Usage Note

Always describes a facial expression — never used for a verbal response. The target of the look is introduced by the preposition 'at'. Frequently combined with adverbs such as 'darkly', 'silently', or 'angrily' to intensify the mood.

Common Mistakes

She glowered him when he walked in.
She glowered at him when he walked in.
'glower' requires the preposition 'at' before the target, like 'stare' or 'glare'.

glower — noun

IPA/ˈɡlaʊə(r)/
KK[ɡlˈaʊɚ]IPA/ˈɡlaʊər/

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five words describe facial expressions involving the eyes or brows, but they differ in intensity and meaning. Glower emphasises a prolonged, silent look of hostility where the person holds their gaze fixed on the target. Glare is similar but suggests more intense, potentially confrontational anger in the moment — shorter and sharper. Scowl focuses on the downward pulling of the eyebrows and mouth, expressing disapproval without necessarily staring at anyone. Frown is the mildest of the group and can indicate confusion or concentration rather than anger. Stare is a fixed gaze that can be neutral or curious — it carries no inherent anger. For example: the judge glowered at the defendant before speaking (hostile, held gaze). He glared after the car cut him off (flash of confrontation). She scowled at the mess on the floor (disapproval). He frowned at the confusing map (puzzlement). The children stared at the clown in wonder (curiosity).

glower ↗glare ↗scowl ↗frown ↗stare ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • shoot a glower
  • give a glower
  • cast a glower
  • with a glower

Prepositions

Etymology

Middle EnglishOld English (possibly)English

Glower comes from Middle English 'glouren', meaning to stare or look intently. It may be related to the idea of a fixed, glowing gaze — the same root that gives us 'glow'. The word has been used in English since the 15th century and has always carried a sense of a hostile, prolonged stare.