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
Synonyms
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
Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Mar. 2024
Channel: Focus on the little things Big bangs and limelights are great for becoming more visible; however, this may cause much anxiety for many.
—European School Of Management and Technology - Berlin, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
This question of how to situate our time in the narrative arc of Earth history has thrust the rarefied world of geological timekeepers into an unfamiliar limelight.
—Raymond Zhong, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024
Nita Ambani first stepped into the business limelight 10 years ago, becoming the first woman director on the board of Reliance Industries.
—Diksha Madhok, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024
But Mulkey restocked the roster with high-profile transfers and recruits who continue to evolve and get used to not only playing together, but also performing in the LSU limelight.
—Brett Martel, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2024
Rams Hernández: Rams-Lions playoff matchup puts Sean McVay-Jared Goff drama back in limelight
Jan. 8, 2024
Even on the road, is Matthew Stafford and his receiver corps a better group than Jared Goff and his corps?
—Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2024
At the Pentagon, staffers often share the meme of Homer Simpson backing into a hedge and disappearing from view to characterize their boss’s aversion to any limelight.
—Helene Cooper, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2024
Monk’s satirical exercise thrusts Stagg into the literary limelight as the industry lavishes praise on the book’s gritty rendering of an ostensibly authentic Black experience.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2024
Noun
The Paladins jumped around and sprayed water and basked in the national limelight and exhausted precious emotional reserves … and lost 75-52 against SDSU two days later.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Mar. 2024
Channel: Focus on the little things Big bangs and limelights are great for becoming more visible; however, this may cause much anxiety for many.
—European School Of Management and Technology - Berlin, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
This question of how to situate our time in the narrative arc of Earth history has thrust the rarefied world of geological timekeepers into an unfamiliar limelight.
—Raymond Zhong, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024
Nita Ambani first stepped into the business limelight 10 years ago, becoming the first woman director on the board of Reliance Industries.
—Diksha Madhok, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024
But Mulkey restocked the roster with high-profile transfers and recruits who continue to evolve and get used to not only playing together, but also performing in the LSU limelight.
—Brett Martel, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2024
Rams Hernández: Rams-Lions playoff matchup puts Sean McVay-Jared Goff drama back in limelight
Jan. 8, 2024
Even on the road, is Matthew Stafford and his receiver corps a better group than Jared Goff and his corps?
—Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2024
At the Pentagon, staffers often share the meme of Homer Simpson backing into a hedge and disappearing from view to characterize their boss’s aversion to any limelight.
—Helene Cooper, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2024
Monk’s satirical exercise thrusts Stagg into the literary limelight as the industry lavishes praise on the book’s gritty rendering of an ostensibly authentic Black experience.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'limelight.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing limelight
Dictionary Entries Near limelight
Cite this Entry
“Limelight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/limelight. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
limelight
noun
lime·light
ˈlīm-ˌlīt
: the center of public attention
More from Merriam-Webster on limelight
Nglish: Translation of limelight for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about limelight
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