Gleaming means shining brightly, especially with reflected light. A freshly waxed car sits in the driveway gleaming in the sunlight. A knight's armor gleams after hours of polishing. When something gleams, it catches the light and sends it back to your eyes in a way that makes you notice.

The word suggests a bright, almost eye-catching quality that draws attention. A mirror might be shiny, but when sunlight hits it just right, it becomes gleaming, radiantly bright in a way you can't help but notice. Clean windows, polished silver, a wet seal emerging from the ocean, freshly fallen snow: all these things can gleam.

You can also use gleaming to describe eyes when someone gets excited or interested. When your teacher announces a surprise field trip, you might see students' eyes gleaming with anticipation. In this sense, gleaming suggests brightness that comes from enthusiasm or joy rather than reflected light.