1
as in compass
a guiding or motivating purpose or principle
with an unwavering commitment to equal rights for all as his only cynosure
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in center
a thing or place that is of greatest importance to an activity or interest
that company is the cynosure for anyone wishing to make it in the music business
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Recent Examples of cynosure
From these beginnings, the Voice grew into a cynosure of the counterculture.
—
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024
The film’s screenplay, co-written by Wenders and Takuma Takasaki, finds its metaphoric cynosure in the Japanese concept of komorebi, which describes the play of light and shadow through the leaves of a tree, every shimmering moment unique.
—Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Oct. 2023
Past the age of fifty, the supple cynosure of the salons turned into something of a tottering wreck.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023
MotoGP is the cynosure for those drawn to the heady blend of terror and enticement that defines the quest to go mind-numbingly fast.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 19 Apr. 2023
The setting had all the elements of a stirring, emotional clash: an underlying sense of betrayal, accusations of soulless greed, the prospect of transformative change and a popular, beloved figure trapped in the cynosure of the firestorm.
—Bill Pennington, New York Times, 16 June 2022
The Celtic cynosure in the 100-96 triumph, Tatum logged a team-best 26 points along with 10 rebounds and 6 assists while scoring 7 vital fourth-quarter points.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 30 May 2022
While the Sackler family, which owned Purdue, attracted intense national attention and became a cynosure of criticism after the company’s introduction of its blockbuster pill OxyContin, the Mallinckrodt brand slipped under the radar.
—Washington Post, 10 May 2022
As their cynosure, Ernestine herself remains a cipher, full of portentous sayings but little real thought.
—Helen Shaw, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2022
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024
The film’s screenplay, co-written by Wenders and Takuma Takasaki, finds its metaphoric cynosure in the Japanese concept of komorebi, which describes the play of light and shadow through the leaves of a tree, every shimmering moment unique.
—Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Oct. 2023
Past the age of fifty, the supple cynosure of the salons turned into something of a tottering wreck.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023
MotoGP is the cynosure for those drawn to the heady blend of terror and enticement that defines the quest to go mind-numbingly fast.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 19 Apr. 2023
The setting had all the elements of a stirring, emotional clash: an underlying sense of betrayal, accusations of soulless greed, the prospect of transformative change and a popular, beloved figure trapped in the cynosure of the firestorm.
—Bill Pennington, New York Times, 16 June 2022
The Celtic cynosure in the 100-96 triumph, Tatum logged a team-best 26 points along with 10 rebounds and 6 assists while scoring 7 vital fourth-quarter points.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 30 May 2022
While the Sackler family, which owned Purdue, attracted intense national attention and became a cynosure of criticism after the company’s introduction of its blockbuster pill OxyContin, the Mallinckrodt brand slipped under the radar.
—Washington Post, 10 May 2022
As their cynosure, Ernestine herself remains a cipher, full of portentous sayings but little real thought.
—Helen Shaw, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cynosure
Noun
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These seven essential mental health habits help highly effective CEOs ensure their compass stays true.—
Julian Hayes II,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Not as a wound, but as a compass.—
Zach Sweet,
Kansas City Star,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
But the center’s allegations are of another type.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
According to Pliops, deploying Pliops XDP LightningAI in data centers offers significant cost savings.—
Thomas Coughlin,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The 50-week moving average in July crossed above the 200-week moving average, indicating that an upward direction of trend may now be in place.—
John Navin,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
And radical, if coming from any direction, is not good.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Ross, who’s busy trying to build West Palm Beach into a mecca, could have spoken up during the offseason when his friends assuredly told him that Miami’s cornerback group was delinquently inadequate.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Test yourself on melon meccas and revolutionary roots in this week's American Culture Quiz.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
In a 2004 study, the United States Institute of Peace said that hundreds of terrorist groups had migrated online, utilizing a tool meant for better communication for often nefarious purposes.—
Richard Frankel,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The capital costs of capture equipment, plus the energy demands for capture and conversion processes, create a tough business case without subsidies or premium product markets.—
Peter Bendor-Samuel,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Michael Weser faces two counts of capital murder and charges of abuse of a corpse and arson in the killings of Denise Rhodes and Robyn DeSort, whose remains authorities found Sunday on land close to Weser's home, the release states.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The world champion stated that her next focus is to win the 200-meter dash in the coming days.—
Katelyn Hutchison,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
The focus was on now, on later today, or this weekend.—
Rachel Kushner,
New Yorker,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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His grand plans for his production company, Nateland, which is already a multimedia hub for wholesome humor, include, among many other projects, an amusement park.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
15 Sep. 2025
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The underrated sale section is a hub for seriously steep discounts—up to 63% off—on garden decor, lights, and tools to help give your yard a little TLC this fall.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cynosure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cynosure. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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