Meaning & use

incandescent

adjective·Academic

Emitting light as a result of being heated to a high temperature; glowing brightly.

See it in a sentence

The blacksmith pulled an incandescent bar of iron from the forge and began to hammer it.

Old incandescent light bulbs waste much of their energy as heat rather than light.

A note on using this word

Often used technically for light bulbs that glow via a heated filament, and figuratively for intense emotion, as in "incandescent with rage."

Words with a similar meaning

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Words with an opposite meaning

Another way to use it

2. adjective

Displaying intense passion, brilliance, or anger.

Her incandescent performance left the entire audience on its feet.

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