reading glasses

plural noun

: eyeglasses used for reading or close work
… each button on the phone has one large number and three tiny letters squeezed about it so you have to squint real hard, especially if you don't have your reading glasses on.—Dennis Baron

Examples of reading glasses in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Geriatric ERs also try to counter sensory impairment, another contributor to delirium, by distributing reading glasses and sound-amplifying devices. — Paula Span, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2026 Paula wore reading glasses at her desk, Coke-bottle glasses for distance on Zoom, and multifocal contacts out to dinner. — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026 Though her reading glasses and a cold cup of tea sit in her office, Michael’s wife Sarah (Hollie Bailey), a music teacher, is nowhere to be found. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 23 July 2026 Kalita says for her family, getting reading glasses was simply too complicated and expensive. — Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 11 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for reading glasses

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of reading glasses was in 1853

Rhymes for reading glasses

See All Rhymes for reading glasses

Browse Nearby Words

reading glass
reading glasses
reading man
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reading glasses.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reading%20glasses. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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