limelight

1 of 2

noun

lime·​light ˈlīm-ˌlīt 

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

limelight

2 of 2

verb

limelighted; limelighting; limelights

transitive verb

: to center attention on : spotlight

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

The topic pushed several officials into the national limelight, and the board consistently took a unified and outspoken stance on the issue. —Sasha Hupka, AZCentral.com, 27 Feb. 2025

Emma Navarro is figuring out how to live in the tennis limelight. —Matthew Futterman, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025

Turtles are once again in Mexico’s limelight, after authorities announced the rescue of 3,427 freshwater turtle hatchlings at a checkpoint along the San Cristóbal-Chiapa de Corzo highway. —Margherita Bassi, Popular Science, 26 June 2025

So that spotlight's going on Indiana, the same spotlight on Oklahoma, two states that are not in the national limelight. —Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 8 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1909, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing limelight

• share the limelight
• the limelight
• thrust into the limelight

Rhymes for limelight

• acolyte
• aconite
• allanite
• alunite
• amberlite
• ammonite
• amorite
• amphitrite
• analyte
• anchorite
• andesite
• anhydrite

Kids Definition

limelight

noun

lime·​light

ˈlīm-ˌlīt

: the center of public attention