alight 1 of 2

alight

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to perch
to come to rest after descending from the air a flock of eight swans circled above, then alighted on the pond

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to descend
to come down from something (as a vehicle) as she alighted from the train, she momentarily lost her footing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of alight
Adjective
The stadium is alight with the group’s signature pink lightstick. Nicole Fell, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Feb. 2025 Social media has been alight throughout the season with accusations that the NFL’s officials are helping the Chiefs with big calls in critical moments. Kyle Feldscher, CNN, 9 Feb. 2025
Verb
Set in Medieval England in the year 1348, the story alights on Lansley Abbey, a remote stone monastery in Yorkshire, which houses ten monks bound by a life of strict routine and devotion. Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 17 May 2025 Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca alighted on a rather more sombre concept to describe Palmer’s contribution as Everton were beaten 1-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday: sacrifice. Liam Twomey, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for alight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alight
Adjective
  • Please tell me the sequel could answer the most burning question of the ’00s: How could Austin not recognize Sam in that mask?
    Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 13 Aug. 2025
  • Cooper, 30, asked Hargitay one more burning question about the actors' on-screen alter egos: will Olivia and Elliot ever end up together?
    Victoria Edel, People.com, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • Most scenic brewery: On the slopes of the White Mountains, perched above the Ammonoosuc River, occupying a 19th-century grist mill, Schilling Beer is impossibly picturesque.
    Peter Rowe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Fishing villages, however, cling to rugged coasts—their red cabins perched between sea and stone, drying cod hanging from wooden racks.
    Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • First responders descended on the scene as a plume of smoke shrouded the five-story furnace building on Bells Lane.
    Ruby Grisin, The Courier-Journal, 19 Aug. 2025
  • On a sunny day last February, Mesfin and a team of photographers and surfers of color descended on Huntington Pier in Southern California.
    Kade Krichko, Outside, 19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Warm up in the adjacent Fire Lounge, which features food and flaming cocktails.
    Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 July 2025
  • Somewhat surprisingly, flaming saganaki is now also catching on in Greece, especially in tourist-heavy restaurants, such as the Athens Yacht Club.
    David Hammond, Chicago Tribune, 9 June 2025
Verb
  • After landing on the ice runway, the aircraft’s engines remained running to prevent freezing during refueling, the air force said.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Celine Dion hasn’t released new music in some time, but that hasn’t stopped her from landing back on the Billboard charts.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • But editorial indulgence has resulted in such a sludge of footnotes and block quotes that the eye must often dismount and continue on foot.
    Book Marks August 7, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2025
  • For instance, people on bicycles or skateboards may be asked to dismount and walk down the ramp into Buccaneer Park.
    Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Simpson used his blazing speed to beat out a slow infield roller for a single.
    Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Alem and Schneider arrived at their farm plot in Bronzeville in broad-brimmed hats and sturdy boots, ready to harvest zucchini and cucumber under a blazing summer sun.
    Nara Schoenberg, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Sit down with the employee and ask what actually lights them up.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
  • Elizabeth Hinton has claimed that the inhabitants of the Bronx lit more fires than their landlords did.
    Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Alight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alight. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.

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