limelight

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noun lime·light \ ˈlīm-ˌlīt \

Definition of limelight

1 a :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

See limelight defined for English-language learners

See limelight defined for kids

Examples of limelight in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of limelight from the Web

While Jack Ma traveled to New York last November to meet President-elect Donald Trump and promised to create 1 million American jobs, Pony Ma has stayed resolutely out of the limelight.

— simon denyer, Washington Post, "Move over Jack Ma: Pony takes the lead in race to be China’s richest man," 8 Aug. 2017
Lilah Rose Benjamin, who’s starting first grade at Scales Elementary School in Brentwood, Tennessee, also got her moment in the limelight on Tuesday, August 1, at Menzel’s tour stop in Nashville, Tennessee.

— michelle darrisaw, Southern Living, "Idina Menzel Made These Two Kid’s ‘Frozen’ Dreams Come True—And Maybe Your Child’s, Too!," 7 Aug. 2017
Although her brother Donald Jr. has been the main subject of recent attention, Ivanka Trump is once again receiving some of the limelight after posting a photo of an unexpected snack to Instagram.

— andrea park, Allure, "Internet Reacts to Ivanka Trump's Hot Dogs and Marshmallows Snack," 18 July 2017
While some sports executives try to shirk the limelight, Blazer relished the status gained through his 16 years on FIFA's executive committee until 2013.

— tom hays, courant.com, "Blazer Dies After Exposing Global Soccer Corruption He Profited From," 13 July 2017
The other baby kangaroos stay out of the limelight in the house adjacent to the gallery.

— serena solomon, The Seattle Times, "A quest to save baby kangaroos on a lonely Australian highway," 30 June 2017
Perhaps most surprising is the young star’s transparency in the limelight.

— benjamin lindsay, HWD, "Ansel Elgort Wants to Be Hollywood’s Most Approachable Leading Man," 27 June 2017
Similar to many English brides Wickstead designs for, the actress received a sketch and a sweet note from the designer prior to her moment in the limelight.

— carrie goldberg, Harper's BAZAAR, "All the Bridal Inspiration You'll Ever Need–From An Up-and-Coming Red Carpet Superstar," 26 June 2017
But a new study could put Egypt back in the limelight.

— ryan cross, Science | AAAS, "Top stories: How cats conquered the world, stratospheric balloons commercialized, and bird eggs explained," 23 June 2017

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.