limelight

noun

lime·light | \ ˈlīm-ˌlīt

Definition of limelight

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : a stage lighting instrument producing illumination by means of an oxyhydrogen flame directed on a cylinder of lime and usually equipped with a lens to concentrate the light in a beam

b : the white light produced by such an instrument

c British : spotlight

2 : the center of public attention

limelight

verb

limelighted; limelighting; limelights

Definition of limelight (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to center attention on : spotlight

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about limelight

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Examples of limelight in a Sentence

Noun

an actress who discovered that the limelight was not such a glowing experience when her privacy was invaded

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Most go to people who are not in the limelight, but there is also a sprinkling of famous faces. — NBC News, "Olivia Colman gets royal honor ahead of debut in 'The Crown'," 8 June 2019 Greg, not Megan, was in the limelight, and so the story became how a man exploited a 19-year-old for the sake of ticket sales and attention. — Dvorameyers, Longreads, "The Gymnast’s Position," 5 June 2019 As questions about Facebook’s role in the 2016 election and its privacy issues mounted, Zuckerberg initially tried to avoid the limelight, dodging requests for public testimony by lawmakers in the United States and Europe. — Kevin Roose, BostonGlobe.com, "Zuckerberg gets a crash course for crucial testimony in Congress," 7 Apr. 2018 Billboard recently spoke with Moar about the challenges of representing a star constantly in the limelight with a penchant for changing his name, and how Combs keeps her constantly on her toes. — Nicole Pajer, Billboard, "Sean "Diddy" Combs' Senior Advisor Nathalie Moar Talks About Diddy's Return to 'The Four'," 7 June 2018 With the Polish international now at Juventus, Alisson has taken to his new spot in the limelight with gusto - setting Serie A alight with his acrobatic saves. — SI.com, "Report: Real Madrid Joins Liverpool, PSG in Race to Sign Roma Stopper Alisson," 13 Jan. 2018 And, through her many years in the limelight, she’s racked up quite a lot of frequent-flier miles and become no stranger to the charms of New York. — Vogue, "Deepika Padukone on Hollywood, Badminton, and Living With Depression," 20 Mar. 2019 Georgina Bloomberg Bloomberg's younger daughter clearly feels more comfortable in the limelight. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "What Michael Bloomberg's Daughters Think of His Decision Not to Run for President," 9 Mar. 2019 This year, Grand Canyon National Park will have its place in the limelight, thanks to it's beauty, grandeur and its 100th birthday celebration. — Carrie Goldberg, Harper's BAZAAR, "The 19 Best Places to Travel in 2019," 10 Jan. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'limelight.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.