dazzle

/ˈdæzəl/

/ˈdæzəl/

Other forms: dazzling; dazzled; dazzles

To dazzle is to blind someone for a moment with light, like a deer in the headlights. You can also dazzle by impressing people, and not just by wearing a sparkly sequined shirt.

Have you ever had a light shine in your face so you couldn't see for a second? You were dazzled. To dazzle is to blind someone in this way. A car's high-beam lights can dazzle other drivers. Looking directly at the sun is a way to dazzle yourself. Dazzling puts you in a daze for a second. Also, anything impressive can dazzle. A great writer dazzles readers. An impressive speaker dazzles listeners. It's like you're blinded by their brilliance.

Definitions of dazzle

1. verb

   cause someone to lose clear vision, especially from intense light
   “She was dazzled by the bright headlights”

   synonyms: bedazzle, daze

   type of:

   blind

   render unable to see
2. verb

   amaze or bewilder, as with brilliant wit or intellect or skill
   “Her arguments dazzled everyone”

   “The dancer dazzled the audience with his turns and jumps”

   type of:

   amaze, astonish, astound

   affect with wonder
3. noun

   brightness enough to blind partially and temporarily
   type of:

   brightness

   the location of a visual perception along a continuum from black to white