the spotlight
noun
: public attention or notice
a baseball star who hates the spotlight
They're always in the spotlight.
School violence is once again under the media spotlight.
The news article turned/put the spotlight on the city's financial problems.
Examples of the spotlight in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
While the slideshow was all about the milestone, Michael (and his striking genes) took the spotlight.
—
Christina Perrier, InStyle, 23 Feb. 2026
London — Tourette’s syndrome, a neurological condition that causes involuntary sounds or movements known as tics, has come under the spotlight after a man with the condition shouted a racist slur during the BAFTA award ceremony in London on Sunday.
—Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 23 Feb. 2026
Other awkward—and more viral—moments included OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei stealing the spotlight from Modi by refusing to hold hands for a photo op designed to be a show of unity and triumph.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2026
Minnesota has been under the spotlight for years for Medicaid fraud, including a massive $300 million pandemic fraud case involving the nonprofit Feeding Our Future.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the spotlight
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Christina Perrier, InStyle, 23 Feb. 2026
London — Tourette’s syndrome, a neurological condition that causes involuntary sounds or movements known as tics, has come under the spotlight after a man with the condition shouted a racist slur during the BAFTA award ceremony in London on Sunday.
—Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 23 Feb. 2026
Other awkward—and more viral—moments included OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei stealing the spotlight from Modi by refusing to hold hands for a photo op designed to be a show of unity and triumph.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2026
Minnesota has been under the spotlight for years for Medicaid fraud, including a massive $300 million pandemic fraud case involving the nonprofit Feeding Our Future.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the spotlight
Cite this Entry
“The spotlight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20spotlight. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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