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sublunary

adjective

ˌsəb-ˈlü-nə-rē How to pronounce sublunary (audio)
Definition of sublunarynext
as in mundane
having to do with life on earth especially as opposed to that in heaven like all sublunary things, this misery will one day end

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sublunary We are reminded of dogs as an intermediary between mankind and the rest of creation, both sublunary and celestial; dogs remind us daily of our animal selves and are audience to our higher moments. — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 25 May 2026 Our attention plunges in while the body remains firmly rooted in the sublunary world. — Meghan O'Gieblyn, WIRED, 16 Aug. 2023 Planets and stars, eclipses and conjunctions would seem to have no direct effect on our lives, unlike the mundane and sublunary antics of our fellow humans. — Alison Gopnik, WSJ, 25 Aug. 2022 In the profoundest sense, the words and deeds of a martyr say to her society that there is a higher world, a world that works according to a logic superior to that of this sublunary sphere. — Dwight Lindley Iii, National Review, 16 May 2021 But change is the only constant in our sublunary world, as writers down the centuries have noted; Powell, too, knew this well. — Neel Mukherjee, New York Times, 7 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sublunary
  1. mundane
  2. temporal
  3. terrestrial
  4. physical
  5. earthly
  6. animal
Adjective
  • Its technological perversions, unfortunately, end up quite mundane.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Red neon tubes illuminated art works ranging from the disturbing (a black-and-white photograph of a person stuffing sausages in their mouth) to the mundane (a pastoral painting of a snowshoe-wearing rifleman).
    — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of mundane
Adjective
  • Curiously, cobalt was linked with a small rise in amyloid-beta proteins in the inferior temporal cortex.
    — Mike McRae August 31, New Atlas, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The happy faces lit up their temporal cortex and caudate nucleus, which are parts of the brain associated with higher cognitive and reward processing.
    — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of temporal
Adjective
  • They’re guided by three otherworldly beings who, in their quirky terrestrial forms, go by Whatsit (Amanda Link), Who (Cami Stuckert) and Which (Jordan Gleaves).
    — Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Similar to other rocky, terrestrial planets, Mercury has a central metallic core, a rocky mangle and a solid crust.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of terrestrial
Adjective
  • In past crises, these mediators had little of their own physical infrastructure or revenue on the line.
    — Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The garments were manipulated, like glove puppets, by physical dancers who were rendered invisible by a green screen.
    — Matthew McLean, Artforum, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of physical
Adjective
  • In the chamber’s center, a drop of water on a chip contains the chemistry of whatever earthly era or exoplanetary site the group is trying to re-create.
    — Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026
  • More importantly, the Zellner brothers platform earthly elements, like music and food, as our most essential joie de vivre.
    — Cortlyn Kelly, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of earthly
Adjective
  • Vegetable Oils Vegetable and seed oils are some of the richest non-animal dietary sources of CoQ10.
    — Verywell Health, Verywell Health, 16 July 2026
  • Computer models and other non-animal testing methods still aren’t the best available science, critics contend.
    — Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026
Definition of animal

Browse Nearby Words

sublimity
sublunary
submachine gun
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Cite this Entry

“Sublunary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sublunary. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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