flashlight

noun

flash·​light ˈflash-ˌlīt How to pronounce flashlight (audio)
1
: a small battery-operated portable electric light
2
a
: a sudden bright artificial light used in taking photographic pictures
b
: a photograph taken by such a light

Examples of flashlight 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.
Immediate needs include bottled water, flashlights, solar lamps, tarps, and non-perishable food. Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025 Adding reflective tape to costumes or bags, wearing bright colors and carrying a flashlight or glow stick can help drivers see trick-or-treaters. Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025 The fun continues at night with a pumpkin express light show, bring-your-own-flashlight corn maze, bonfires on Saturday night only and firework shows. Katie Nixon, Nashville Tennessean, 22 Oct. 2025 Walking deeper into a smelly cave along the Albania-Greece border, cavers shined their flashlights along the rock walls and illuminated a massive spider colony. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for flashlight

Word History

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of flashlight was in 1886

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flashlight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flashlight. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

flashlight

noun
flash·​light ˈflash-ˌlīt How to pronounce flashlight (audio)
: a small battery-operated portable electric light

More from Merriam-Webster on flashlight

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!