At a glance, he knew that the child was hungry.
Source: tatoeba (27192)
Glance
/ɡlɑːns/
Synonyms for "glance" (314 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (63)
Strong matches (94)
feelfeelingfingertip caressfinishflagflag downflameflareflashflickflickerfly offfog bellfog signalfog whistlefoghornfulguratefurbishgandergee
Show 57 more words
give a signalgive lightgive the nodglance atglance offglareglazegleamgleam of lightglimmerglimpseglintglistenglitterglossglowgo lightgo offgong buoygrazegreen lighthailhail and speakhalf an eyehalf-masthand-mindednesshawhead offheliographhigh signhithoist a bannerimpingeimpingementimpingenceincandesceinternational alphabet flaginternational numeral pennantjibkickkisslambencylapleerlicklight touchlooklustermake a signmake way formarker beaconmove asidenodnudgeosculateosculationparachute flare
Related words (157)
peekpeeppilot flagpokepolice whistlepolishquarantine flagquick sightquiverradiateradio beaconraise a cryrapid glancereboundred flagred lightreferreflectricochetrocket
Show 103 more words
roman candlerubsailing aidsalutescanscintillatescintillationscourscrapesemaphoresemaphore flagsemaphore telegraphsend out rayssense of touchshavesheer offshimmershineshine brightlyshootshoot out raysshove asideshuntshyshy offsidesidestepsideswipesidetracksidlesignsignalsignal beaconsignal bellsignal firesignal flagsignal gongsignal gunsignal lampsignal lightsignal mastsignal postsignal rocketsignal shotsignal sirensignal towersignalizeskimskipskirtslantsleekslickslick downsolar flaresolar prominencesound an alarmsound the trumpetspar buoysparklespeaksqueak bysquizsteer clear ofstep asidestop lightstrikestrokesweepswitchtactile sensetactiontangencytaptentative contacttentative pokethe nodthe winktouchtouch lightlytouch upontouchingtraffic lighttraffic signalturn asideturn awayturn backtwinkleunfurl a flagvarnishveerveer offwatch firewavewave a flagwave the handwaxwhisperwhite flagwigwagwigwag flagwinkyellow flag
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: glimpse, aid to navigation, alarm, amber light, attouchement.
- Sentence evidence is available for glance, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "glance".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "glance"
Keep "glance" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "glance" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "glance", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "glance" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
14 entriesMore specific
10 entriesCollocations
9 entriesbrief glancefirst glanceglance atglance awayglance overglance throughquick glanceshort glancesideways glance
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
2 entriesTranslations
14 translations across 7 languages.
Bulgarian
1 entries- рикоширам verb (to strike and fly off in an oblique direction to dart aside)
Czech
1 entries- škrtnout (o povrch) verb (to strike and fly off in an oblique direction to dart aside)
Finnish
4 entries- liikuttaa vinoon verb (to cause (something) to move obliquely)
- lyödä maila vinossa verb ((cricket) to hit a ball with a bat held in a slanted manner)
- pompata verb (to strike and fly off in an oblique direction to dart aside)
- vihjailla verb (of a topic: to make an incidental or passing reflection on, often unfavourably — see also allude, hint)
French
1 entries- faire allusion verb (of a topic: to make an incidental or passing reflection on, often unfavourably — see also allude, hint)
Irish
1 entries- scinn verb (to strike and fly off in an oblique direction to dart aside)
Macedonian
2 entries- рикошети́ра verb (to strike and fly off in an oblique direction to dart aside)
- се о́дбива verb (to strike and fly off in an oblique direction to dart aside)
Māori
2 entries- hohoni verb (to strike and fly off in an oblique direction to dart aside)
- honi verb (to strike and fly off in an oblique direction to dart aside)
Sample sentences
76 total sentences available.
At a glance I knew that he was tired.
Source: tatoeba (27193)
I recognized Mr Jones at first glance.
Source: tatoeba (27194)
I recognized her at first glance.
Source: tatoeba (27196)
Showing 4 of 76 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "glance"?
Closest matches include glimpse, aid to navigation, alarm, amber light, attouchement.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "glance"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.