shimmer

/ˈʃɪmə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈʃɪmər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈshi-mər/ (ame, mw) · /ˈʃɪm.ər/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈʃɪm.ɚ/ (ame, ipa)

shimmer — verb

  • shimmerpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • shimmershe / she / it
  • shimmeredpast simple
  • shimmering-ing form

1. When water, heated air, or any surface produces a gentle glow whose brightness f

1.動詞不及物B2
釋義

When water, heated air, or any surface produces a gentle glow whose brightness flickers and shifts rapidly.

例句

The lake shimmered in the afternoon sunlight as a gentle breeze passed over it.

shimmer in [sunlight/moonlight] — prepositional pattern with light source

Heat rising from the asphalt made the road ahead shimmer like a silver ribbon.

shimmer like [noun phrase] — simile pattern

同義詞
  • glimmer

    Weaker and more intermittent; suggests a faint, unsteady light rather than a moving one.

  • glow

    Steadier and warmer; lacks the trembling or quivering quality of shimmer.

  • glisten

    Specifically for wet or oily surfaces; the shine comes from moisture, not the light itself trembling.

反義詞
  • darken

    To become dark or lose light.

文法句型

shimmer + prepositional phrase (in/on/under/with)

用法筆記

Frequently describes natural light phenomena such as sunlight on water, heat haze on roads, or stars in the night sky. The trembling quality of the light is the key feature that distinguishes this sense from steady verbs like shine or gleam.

常見錯誤

❌The diamond shimmered on her finger.
✅The diamond sparkled on her finger.
💡Diamonds give off many small bright flashes (sparkle), not a trembling soft light (shimmer).
❌The streetlight shimmered all night.
✅The streetlight shone steadily all night.
💡A streetlight gives a steady, fixed light; shimmer implies slight movement or quivering of the light.

2. When a smooth material or polished surface reflects light softly, producing a ge

2.動詞不及物B2
釋義

When a smooth material or polished surface reflects light softly, producing a gentle moving shine that follows the contours of the material.

例句

The silk scarf shimmered with a pale blue glow in the morning light.

shimmer with [colour] — material + colour collocation

Aisha's dance costume shimmered as her movements caught the stage spotlights.

同義詞
  • gleam

    A steadier, brighter shine from a polished surface; lacks the moving quality of shimmer.

  • sheen

    A noun describing the surface quality itself rather than the action; implies a soft lustre.

  • glint

    A brief, sharp flash of light rather than a continuous soft shine.

反義詞
  • dull

    Describes a surface that does not reflect light well.

文法句型

shimmer + prepositional phrase (with/in/under)

用法筆記

This sense typically describes fabric (silk, satin, sequins), polished surfaces (marble, waxed floors, metal), or decorative materials. The shimmer is generated by the surface moving or catching light from different angles, unlike sense 1 where the light itself trembles.

shimmer — noun