sunshine

play

noun sun·shine \-ˌshīn\

Definition of sunshine

1a : the sun's light or direct raysb : the warmth and light given by the sun's raysc : a spot or surface on which the sun's light shines
2 : someone or something (such as a person, condition, or influence) that radiates warmth, cheer, or happiness

sunshiny

play \-ˌshī-nē\ adjective

See sunshine defined for English-language learners

See sunshine defined for kids

Examples of sunshine in a Sentence

Today's forecast calls for sunshine.
Let's go out and enjoy the sunshine!
She was the kind of person who brought sunshine into people's lives.

Recent Examples of sunshine from the Web

Yet over the past few months, gloom has turned to sunshine.

— The Economist, "Emmanuel Macron is revitalising the European Union—and dividing it," 20 July 2017
The setting is idyllic: Sunshine streams through a light mist.

— megan garber, The Atlantic, "Game of Thrones: About That Cameo," 17 July 2017
Folks would say there was no there here, just a lot of sunshine and drive-bys.

— matthew segal, Los Angeles Magazine, "One of the Keys to Enjoying L.A. Is Driving Farther Than a Reasonable Person Should," 14 July 2017
Hello, sunshine Reapplying traditional sunscreen to a face full of makeup during the day can be problematic.

— star-telegram, "Lotions of Refuge: Protect yourself from harmful UV rays with hair, face and body products," 5 July 2017
With temperatures rising and bright sunshine expected, forecasters say the Louisville area could experience dirty air on Sunday and Monday.

— james bruggers, The Courier-Journal, "Poor air quality predicted for Louisville area," 30 June 2017
Low humidity, a blue sky and plenty of sunshine dominate your forecast again Tuesday.

— fox19, Cincinnati.com, "Forecast: When does summer return?," 27 June 2017
Conditions are expected to continue becoming drier with more sunshine over the next several days.

— ashley remkus, AL.com, "Flooding, power outages and other fallout across Alabama from Tropical Storm Cindy," 24 June 2017
Researchers couldn’t definitively say why sunshine drove up tips, but suggested it was linked to better moods, which have previously been shown to improve with sunlight.

— lindzi wessel, Science | AAAS, "Sunny days add thousands of dollars in daily tips for cab drivers," 16 June 2017

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

First Known Use of sunshine

13th century

sunshine

adjective sun·shine

Definition of sunshine

: forbidding or restricting closed meetings of legislative or executive bodies and sometimes providing for public access to records sunshine laws

First Known Use of sunshine

1972

SUNSHINE Defined for English Language Learners

sunshine

play

noun

Definition of sunshine for English Language Learners

: the sun's light or rays : warmth and light from the sun
: a feeling of happiness
—used as a form of address that can be either friendly or rude

SUNSHINE Defined for Kids

sunshine

play

noun sun·shine \ˈsən-ˌshīn\

Definition of sunshine for Students

1 : the sun's light or direct rays : the warmth and light given by the sun's rays
2 : something that spreads warmth or happiness You are my sunshine.

Law Dictionary

sunshine

adjective sun·shine

Legal Definition of sunshine

: forbidding or restricting closed meetings of legislative or executive bodies and sometimes providing for public access to government records sunshine laws — see also Freedom of Information Act