Matte vs. Gloss: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Published on November 6, 2023
Matte offers a non-reflective, smooth finish; Gloss provides a shiny, high-reflective surface.
Key Differences
Matte finishes absorb light, giving surfaces a muted, elegant appearance without glare, while Gloss finishes reflect light, causing surfaces to appear shiny and bright, often enhancing color vibrancy.
Matte is more forgiving of imperfections, camouflaging minor scratches and fingerprints, whereas Gloss surfaces, while visually striking, readily show smudges and flaws due to their highly reflective nature.
Matte is often preferred for its sophisticated, modern look and ease of maintenance, especially in high-traffic areas. In contrast, Gloss is prized for its eye-catching appeal and is often used to draw attention or make a bold statement.
Matte surfaces are typically easier to keep clean as they don’t show streaks but can be prone to absorbing stains. Glossy surfaces are easier to wipe clean but are more susceptible to showing cleaning marks and fingerprints.
Matte provides a soft, textured effect that’s suitable for minimizing glare in brightly lit areas, while Gloss creates a sleek, reflective effect that can make spaces appear larger and more open.
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Comparison Chart
Light Reflection
Absorbs light
Reflects light
Appearance
Smooth, non-reflective
Shiny, high-reflective
Maintenance
Hides imperfections
Shows smudges/flaws
Aesthetic Appeal
Sophisticated, modern
Bold, attention-grabbing
Practical Application
Less prone to showing streaks
Prone to showing cleaning marks
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Matte and Gloss Definitions
Matte
Matte implies sophistication and elegance.
The matte black car exuded understated elegance.
Gloss
Gloss coatings give a shiny, reflective surface.
The gloss tiles made the bathroom look brighter.
Matte
Matte surfaces are smooth to the touch without shine.
The matte brochure cover felt smooth and sleek.
Gloss
Gloss brings out vividness and vibrancy in colors.
Her gloss red lips caught everyone’s attention.
Matte
Matte finishes hide fingerprints and smudges.
The matte fridge door doesn’t show fingerprints.
Gloss
Gloss surfaces show fingerprints and smudges.
The gloss piano needed constant polishing.
Matte
Variant of mat2.
Gloss
A surface shininess or luster.
Matte
An opaque border or pattern placed between a source of light and a photosensitive surface to prevent exposure of specified portions of the surface.
Gloss
A kind of paint that dries to a shiny finish.
Matte
A map specifying how two electronic images of the same size and shape are to be cropped for combination into a single image.
Gloss
A cosmetic that adds shine or luster, such as lip gloss.
Matte
A kind of paint that dries to a dull finish.
Gloss
A superficially or deceptively attractive appearance or good reputation
The firm lost some of its gloss when its investments performed poorly.
Matte
A mixture of a metal with its sulfides, produced by smelting the sulfide ores of copper, lead, or nickel.
Gloss
A brief explanatory note or translation of a difficult or technical expression usually inserted in the margin or between lines of a text or manuscript.
Matte
Having a dull finish.
Gloss
A collection of such notes; a glossary.
Matte
A decorative border around a picture used to inset and center the contents of a frame.
The image is a perfect square of 8 cm (with white matte border the total dimensions are 14 cm tall by 11 cm wide).
Gloss
An extensive commentary, often accompanying a text or publication.
Matte
(cinema) A background, often painted or created with computers
Matte painting is a tool that filmmakers can use to create a scene that is impossible to achieve with conventional cinematographic means.
Gloss
A purposefully misleading interpretation or explanation.
Matte
(pyrometallurgy) The molten metal sulfide phases typically formed during smelting of copper, nickel, and other base metals.
Gloss
To give a bright sheen or luster to.
Matte
(American spelling) Dull; not reflective of light.
Flat or matte paint allows a deep color expression on the walls while also hiding flaws that may be inherent on the painted surface.
A matte lipstick
Gloss
To apply a gloss to
Glossed her lips.
Matte
A partly reduced copper sulphide, obtained by alternately roasting and melting copper ore in separating the metal from associated iron ores, and called coarse metal, fine metal, etc., according to the grade of fineness. On the exterior it is dark brown or black, but on a fresh surface is yellow or bronzy in color.
Gloss
To provide (an expression or a text) with a gloss or glosses.
Matte
A dead or dull finish, as in gilding where the gold leaf is not burnished, or in painting where the surface is purposely deprived of gloss.
Gloss
To give a false interpretation to.
Matte
Having a dull, lusterless surface finish; opposed to glossy or polished; as, a matte photograph; a proof coin with matte figures on a polished field.
Gloss
A surface shine or luster.
Matte
A mixture of sulfides that forms when sulfide metal ores are smelted
Gloss
(figuratively) A superficially or deceptively attractive appearance.
Matte
The property of having little or no contrast; lacking highlights or gloss
Gloss
(countable) A brief explanatory note or translation of a foreign, archaic, technical, difficult, complex, or uncommon expression, inserted after the original, in the margin of a document, or between lines of a text.
Matte
Change texture so as to become matted and felt-like;
The fabric felted up after several washes
Gloss
(countable) A glossary; a collection of such notes.
Matte
Not reflecting light; not glossy;
Flat wall paint
A photograph with a matte finish
Gloss
An expression requiring such explanatory treatment.
Matte
Matte paint provides a flat, non-reflective finish.
The artist chose a matte finish to prevent light reflections.
Gloss
(countable) An extensive commentary on some text.
Matte
Matte gives a soft, muted aesthetic.
Her portrait looked timeless in matte.
Gloss
An interpretation by a court of specific point within a statute or case law.
Gloss
(transitive) To give a gloss or sheen to.
Gloss
(transitive) To make (something) attractive by deception
Gloss
(intransitive) To become shiny.
Gloss
(transitive) To add a gloss to (a text).
Gloss
Brightness or luster of a body proceeding from a smooth surface; polish; as, the gloss of silk; cloth is calendered to give it a gloss.
It is no part . . . to set on the face of this cause any fairer gloss than the naked truth doth afford.
Gloss
A specious appearance; superficial quality or show.
To me more dear, congenial to my heart,One native charm than all the gloss of art.
Gloss
A foreign, archaic, technical, or other uncommon word requiring explanation.
Gloss
An interpretation, consisting of one or more words, interlinear or marginal; an explanatory note or comment; a running commentary.
All this, without a gloss or comment,He would unriddle in a moment.
Explaining the text in short glosses.
Gloss
A false or specious explanation.
Gloss
To give a superficial luster or gloss to; to make smooth and shining; as, to gloss cloth.
The glossed and gleamy wave.
Gloss
To render clear and evident by comments; to illustrate; to explain; to annotate.
Gloss
To give a specious appearance to; to render specious and plausible; to palliate by specious explanation.
You have the art to gloss the foulest cause.
Gloss
To make comments; to comment; to explain.
Gloss
To make sly remarks, or insinuations.
Gloss
An explanation or definition of an obscure word in a text
Gloss
An alphabetical list of technical terms in some specialized field of knowledge; usually published as an appendix to a text on that field
Gloss
The property of being smooth and shiny
Gloss
An outward or token appearance or form that is deliberately misleading;
He hoped his claims would have a semblance of authenticity
He tried to give his falsehood the gloss of moral sanction
The situation soon took on a different color
Gloss
Give a shine or gloss to, usually by rubbing
Gloss
Provide interlinear explanations for words or phrases;
He annotated on what his teacher had written
Gloss
Provide an interlinear translation of a word or phrase
Gloss
Gloss or excuse;
Color a lie
Gloss
Gloss provides a sleek, modern appeal.
The gloss cover made the magazine stand out.
Gloss
Gloss finishes are used for a dramatic, attention-grabbing effect.
The gloss poster attracted many viewers.
FAQs
Does Matte reflect light?
No, matte absorbs light, reducing glare.
Is Gloss shiny?
Yes, gloss provides a shiny, reflective surface.
Does Gloss enhance color vibrancy?
Yes, gloss finishes can make colors appear more vivid.
Is Matte easier to maintain?
Generally, yes, because it doesn’t show smudges easily.
Can Matte hide imperfections?
Yes, matte is good for camouflaging minor flaws.
Can Gloss show fingerprints?
Yes, gloss surfaces often show smudges and fingerprints.
Can Matte absorb stains?
It can, especially liquid ones.
Does Gloss look sleek?
Yes, it has a sleek, modern appearance.
Is Matte suitable for busy areas?
Yes, due to its durability and low maintenance.
Can Gloss be attention-grabbing?
Yes, its shiny surface catches the eye.
Can Matte finishes be textured?
They can have a subtle texture due to their low sheen.
Can Gloss increase brightness?
Yes, by reflecting light.
Does Gloss make spaces feel larger?
Often, because the reflective surface adds depth.
Are Gloss finishes slippery?
They can be, especially on floors.
Does Matte reduce glare?
Yes, it’s ideal for brightly lit areas.
Is Matte paint good for walls?
Yes, it hides wall imperfections.
Is Gloss easy to clean?
Yes, but it might show cleaning streaks.
Is Matte photography better for portraits?
Often, as it reduces skin glare.
Does Gloss paper make images pop?
Yes, it enhances color and sharpness.
Is Matte often seen as modern?
Yes, it’s associated with a contemporary, elegant look.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
