English dictionary

shining Meaning & Definition

Q: What are the comparative and superlative forms of shining?

The comparative form is more shining and the superlative form is most shining.

ˈshī-niŋ

What Does Shining Mean?

Shining is used as an adjective meaning emitting or reflecting light. It can also mean bright and often splendid in appearance. As a verb, it means to emit rays of light.

Quick Facts About Shining

Part of speech	adjective, verb
Pronunciation	/ˈshī-niŋ/
Syllables	2
Synonyms	lustrous, clear and bright
Antonyms	dim, dull and lackluster
Comparative / superlative	more shining, most shining

Shining Definition (Adjective)

emitting or reflecting light
bright and often splendid in appearance : resplendent
possessing a distinguished quality : illustrious
full of sunshine

Shining as a Verb

to emit rays of light
to be bright by reflection of light
to be eminent, conspicuous, or distinguished
shines in math
to perform extremely well
When will stocks really shine again?
to have a bright glowing appearance
his face shone with enthusiasm
to be conspicuously evident or clear
to cause to emit light
to throw or direct the light of
to make bright by polishing
shined his shoes

Shining in a Sentence

a shining example

My nephew tried other sports before deciding on football, which he shone at right away, quickly becoming the star of his school team.

I shone my light into the darkness to see what was making the noise.

in hunting, to shine the eyes of a deer at night by throwing a light on them

He shined my shoes until they were polished smooth and gleaming.

shines in math

When will stocks really shine again?

his face shone with enthusiasm

shined his shoes

the shining moon formed a nice backdrop for our outdoor concert

the sun appears to shine particularly brightly in summer because that is when it's closest to the Earth

the salesman shined his shoes every morning before leaving the house

Word Forms & Grammar

shining

shone

shined

shin·ing

shine

shines

shining (comparative more shining or (rare, nonstandard) shininger, superlative most shining or (rare, nonstandard) shiningest)

shining (plural shinings)

Origin of Shining

Origin 1: Middle English, from Old English scīnan; akin to Old High German skīnan to shine and perhaps to Greek skia shadow

Origin 2: By surface analysis, shine +‎ -ing.

First Known Use

before 12th century

before 12th centuryi

Shining Pronunciation

The standard pronunciation of shining is /ˈshī-niŋ/, spoken in 2 syllables, with the main stress on the first syllable (shī).

Shining: Your Questions Answered

Is shining an adjective or a verb?

Shining is mainly used as an adjective, but it can also be used as a verb.

What is another word for shining?

You can replace shining with words such as lustrous, clear and bright. See the full list of shining synonyms and antonyms.

What is the opposite of shining?

The opposite of shining can be expressed with words like dim, dull, lackluster and unbright.

What are the comparative and superlative forms of shining?

The comparative form is more shining and the superlative form is most shining.