the limelight
noun
: public attention or notice thought of as a bright light that shines on someone
She is a very private woman who never sought the limelight.
When his new book caused an unexpected controversy, he was thrust into the limelight once again.
He doesn't like having to share the limelight with other actors.
Examples of the limelight in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
When the world reopened, Liu stepped back into the limelight after a growth spurt that made what once seemed effortless a little trickier.
—
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 16 Feb. 2026
But the third member of the core Potter trio has had a much quieter time spent mostly out of the limelight, and deliberately so.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Her colorful past came to light through the limelight itself, with the Norwegian media reporting about her previous relationship with a felon and her links with Norway’s party scene.
—Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
His struggle with Cooperstown voting is often attributed to him sharing the limelight with too many slam-dunk Hall of Fame pitchers of his era, like Jim Palmer and Tom Seaver.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 9 Feb. 2026
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Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 16 Feb. 2026
But the third member of the core Potter trio has had a much quieter time spent mostly out of the limelight, and deliberately so.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Her colorful past came to light through the limelight itself, with the Norwegian media reporting about her previous relationship with a felon and her links with Norway’s party scene.
—Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
His struggle with Cooperstown voting is often attributed to him sharing the limelight with too many slam-dunk Hall of Fame pitchers of his era, like Jim Palmer and Tom Seaver.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the limelight
Cite this Entry
“The limelight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20limelight. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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