Meaning & use
glow stick
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A sealed plastic tube that gives off colored light for several hours after it is bent or snapped to mix chemicals inside.
Grammar: Countable: one glow stick, a pack of glow sticks.
Patterns
- a glow stick for something
The kids waved glow sticks around the campfire.
She snapped a glow stick and tied it to her backpack.
Every guest got a glow stick at the dance party.
nouncountablespecialist
Such a tube used as an emergency light or marker for safety, camping, diving or military use.
Grammar: Countable, and often listed in safety kits.
Divers carry a glow stick for visibility underwater.
The emergency kit includes two glow sticks.
He used a glow stick to mark the tent in the dark.
Word forms
| plural | glow sticks |
|---|
Common combinations
- snap a glow stick
- Snap the glow stick to start the light.
- wave a glow stick
- The crowd waved glow sticks at the concert.
- pack of glow sticks
- We bought a pack of glow sticks for the party.
- neon glow stick
- A neon glow stick lit the path.
- glow stick bracelet
- She wore a glow stick bracelet at the festival.
Synonyms and how they differ
- light stick
- Light stick is a more technical name and is more common in military or safety contexts.
- flashlight
- A flashlight needs batteries and can be switched on and off, which a glow stick cannot.
- torch
- Torch is the British word for a battery-powered handheld light, unlike a single-use glow stick.
- chemlight
- Chemlight is a brand-like name used mainly by soldiers and divers for the same type of light.
Word family
Commonly confused: glow stick or glow worm?
glow stick vs glow worm
A glow worm is an insect that produces its own light, while a glow stick is a manufactured plastic tube.
Practice
You do not need batteries for a ___ ; just bend it until it lights up.
Choose one answer.
A glow stick lights when bent, using chemicals instead of batteries. Flashlights, lanterns and headlamps usually need a power source.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “glow stick”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.