the Milky Way

noun

1
: a broad band of light that can be seen in the night sky and that is caused by the light of a very large number of faint stars
2
: the galaxy in which we live that contains the stars that make up the Milky Way

Examples of the Milky Way in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Constellation Carousel lets visitors ride the Milky Way aboard celestial lions, dragons, peacocks and bears. Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 13 May 2025 The park also hosts an Astronomy Festival every June, which is considered the best month to see the Milky Way at Bryce Canyon. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 28 Apr. 2025 Billions of these stars over billions of years have choked the Milky Way with dust, filling it with opaque clouds, blocking our sight line and limiting our view. Phil Plait, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2025 The Small Magellanic Cloud has less elements heavier than helium than the Milky Way with conditions more similar to what existed in the earliest days of the universe. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 23 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for the Milky Way

Cite this Entry

“The Milky Way.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20Milky%20Way. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!