Meaning & use
shine through
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Meanings
verbintransitivefigurative
To be visible or noticeable despite something that could hide or block it.
Grammar: No object; often used with qualities like talent, kindness, or personality.
Patterns
- something shines through
- shine through something
Her kindness shines through even in difficult situations.
Despite his nervousness, his talent shone through during the performance.
The team's determination shone through after they fell behind.
verbintransitive
Of light, to pass through a material or opening.
Grammar: No object; the light itself is the subject.
Patterns
- light shines through something
- sunlight shines through
The morning sun shone through the curtains.
A flashlight beam shone through the crack in the door.
The stained glass window makes colorful light shine through.
Word forms
| third person singular | shines through |
|---|---|
| past tense | shone through |
| past participle | shone through |
| -ing form | shining through |
Common combinations
- talent shines through
- Her natural talent shines through in every painting.
- light shines through
- Soft light shines through the thin fabric.
- personality shines through
- His friendly personality shines through in his writing.
- shine through the clouds
- The sun began to shine through the clouds after the storm.
Synonyms and how they differ
- come through
- Come through means to be communicated or felt, often after a process, while shine through emphasizes being clearly visible.
- show
- Show is more general and can be transitive; shine through suggests something is noticeable without effort.
Word family
Commonly confused: shine through or shine?
shine through vs shine
Shine alone means to give off light; shine through adds the idea of passing through something or being noticeable despite obstacles.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
"Shine through" is intransitive, so the quality itself is the subject: "Her confidence shines through." Option B is awkward because "through her nervousness" changes the meaning; C and D treat it as transitive, which is not standard.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “shine through”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.