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
More than 700 Murano glass chandeliers and wall sconces are alight once again inside the luxurious halls of Venice’s Hotel Gabrielli. Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2025 Flames and dark smoke billowed over a cement factory that was set alight by a wildfire that swept through olive groves and forests and disrupted rail traffic on the outskirts of the Greek city of Patras, west of Athens. USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
In the wake of such revelations, Jones needed to free his Temple from the threat of government interference and alighted upon Guyana as a new home. Sarah Rex, JSTOR Daily, 20 Aug. 2025 The second was to build what amounts to a nonflammable moat around a home to prevent embers from alighting on anything next to a house that could burn and ignite the structure. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for alight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alight
Adjective
  • Guests can expect more than 1,000 illuminated displays showcasing wildlife, vibrant landscapes, scenic pathways and festive holiday scenery.
    Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Today, nine illuminated trees float on McAdenville Lake as a tribute to the originals.
    Shameika Rhymes, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
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
  • Beetle buzzes by with tiny pumpkins perched on top, and Xuanwu, a ground robot carrying a drone, walks ominously in the background.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2025
  • One story of the Desert Fathers recounts a sighting of a demon perched on the top of the monastery, busily scribbling down all the faults of the brothers within.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Jones, who was a regular on the NBC sketch series from 2014 to 2019, was one of the dozens of former cast members who descended on Studio 8H for the epic evening.
    Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Nov. 2025
  • An avalanche of water descended through cracks in the ceiling of Brooklyn's Metropolitan Avenue/Lorimer Street station, forming pseudo waterfalls, according to Storyful.
    Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • But perhaps more importantly, Cork Tree helped the band become the therapists pumping through the speakers of a whole generation of skinny jean-wearing teens, igniting the pop-punk and emo music scene into a blazing force for the masses.
    Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2025
  • In nuclear thermal rockets, a small nuclear reactor heats up a propellant — often liquid hydrogen — to blazing temperatures in the thousands of degrees.
    Big Think, Big Think, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Southwest said the Boeing 737 landed safely a short time later.
    David Shepardson, USA Today, 2 Nov. 2025
  • Several reasons were to blame for the scary-low turnout, including a dearth of new releases as well as the misfortune of Halloween landing on a Friday, which meant families were distracted by trick-or-treating.
    Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 2 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • After having dismounted, the person crossed the street and moved into a wooded area.
    Rebecca Shabad, NBC news, 12 Sep. 2025
  • This enables wide distribution across the front lines, especially in areas where soldiers are primarily dismounted.
    Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Blooms reach five inches across and appear in flaming red, pink, yellow, orange, and in all possible versions and mixtures of these colors.
    Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Spotify also shared a graphic of the same design on Instagram, captioning it simply with a key emoji and flaming heart.
    Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Alight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alight. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.

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