shine through

verb

To be discernible despite obstruction; to be apparent or evidenced.

“The clouds are heavy, but the sunlight is still managing to shine through.”

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Meanings

verbshine through (third-person singular simple present shines through, present participle shining through, simple past and past participle shined through or shone through)

present singular third person shines through · participle present shining through · participle past shined through · past shined through · participle past shone through · past shone through

  1. figurativelyintransitiveusuallyTo be discernible despite obstruction; to be apparent or evidenced.

    Though she makes lots of spelling and grammar mistakes in her article, her passion for the subject shines through.

    1 more example

    He went on to say that the society was also too loose and that WOMEN were too loose! Aha! Their true anti-woman and homophobic selves were shining through!

    1979 February 10, Linda Gwizdak, “Fight to Choose”, in Gay Community News, volume 6, number 28, page 4
  2. intransitiveTo be visible across a barrier.

    The clouds are heavy, but the sunlight is still managing to shine through.

Cite this entry
APA

shine through. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shine%20through

MLA

“shine through.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shine%20through. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “shine through,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shine%20through.

Source: shine through on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.