glower
C1Literary, descriptive. Common in written narratives (novels, journalism) and formal speech. Less common in casual conversation.
Definition
Meaning
to look or stare with sullen anger, hostility, or displeasure.
To express strong negative emotion through an intense, fixed, and threatening facial expression, often involving furrowed brows and darkened eyes. It implies a brooding, simmering, or deeply resentful anger, not a fleeting annoyance.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
"Glower" describes a specific, intense facial expression conveying anger, contempt, or deep displeasure. It is not a general term for looking (like 'gaze' or 'stare'). It is more intense and sullen than 'frown' and more focused on the eyes/brow than 'scowl'. Often implies a sustained, brooding look.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or grammatical use. The word is equally understood in both varieties.
Connotations
Slightly more common in UK literary contexts, but the difference is marginal.
Frequency
Low-to-medium frequency in both varieties, with a tilt towards written and formal registers.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] glowers at [Object].[Subject] glowers.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To glower like a thundercloud.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might be used in narrative descriptions of workplace conflict, e.g., 'The manager glowered at the team after the failed presentation.'
Academic
Very rare, except in literary analysis describing a character's demeanour.
Everyday
Uncommon in casual chat. Might be used for dramatic effect: 'Don't glower at me, it wasn't my fault!'
Technical
Not used.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He would glower at anyone who disturbed his reading in the library.
- The headmaster glowered over his spectacles, silencing the hall.
American English
- She glowered at the referee after the controversial call.
- The boss just glowered from his office window, making everyone nervous.
adverb
British English
- 'Gloweringly' is extremely rare and non-standard. Not used.
American English
- 'Gloweringly' is extremely rare and non-standard. Not used.
adjective
British English
- The adjective 'glowering' is common: 'He fixed her with a glowering stare.'
- The sky had a glowering, oppressive quality before the storm.
American English
- 'Glowering' is used: 'He sat in glowering silence throughout the meeting.'
- The critic wrote a glowering review of the film.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He glowered when I told him the news.
- Why are you glowering at me?
- The detective glowered at the suspect, who refused to answer.
- She sat in the corner, glowering at the festivities she wasn't invited to.
- The prime minister's glowering countenance dominated the front pages after the diplomatic snub.
- A profound and glowering resentment characterised his later portraits.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a **GLOW**ering fire that is **LOW** and sullen, not bright and cheerful. A person who **GLOWER**s has a dark, burning anger in their eyes.
Conceptual Metaphor
ANGER IS A DARK CLOUD / ANGER IS HEAT. To glower is to have one's face embody a storm cloud or smouldering embers.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводить как "глазеть" или "смотреть". Это специфический взгляд со злостью. Ближе по смыслу: "мрачно/свирепо смотреть", "смотреть насупившись", "хмуро уставиться".
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a general synonym for 'look' or 'stare'.
- Confusing it with 'glower' as a noun (rare).
- Misspelling as 'glour' or 'glower' (with a different pronunciation).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses 'glower' CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is not a high-frequency, everyday word. It belongs to a more literary or descriptive register and is most often encountered in writing (e.g., novels, news features) or formal speech.
All express anger via facial expression. A 'glare' is a fierce, piercing stare. A 'scowl' is a frown expressing displeasure, often with wrinkled brows. A 'glower' is a sullen, brooding, and dark stare, often suggesting smouldering resentment. It is more sustained and menacing than a quick scowl.
Yes, but it is very rare. The noun form ('He gave me a glower.') is understood but far less common than the verb. The participial adjective 'glowering' is frequently used (e.g., 'a glowering look').
Yes, overwhelmingly so. It is defined by anger, hostility, or deep displeasure. It would be highly unusual and likely ironic to use it in a positive context.
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