BEACON Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

beacon 1 of 2

noun

ˈbē-kən

Definition of beacon

as in light

something that provides illumination the floodlit skyscraper is one of the city's most beloved nighttime beacons

Synonyms & Similar Words

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beacon

2 of 2

verb

as in to illumine

to supply with light a lone lighthouse beacons the entrance to the island's only harbor

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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 beacon

Noun

In April 1926, the Point Vicente Lighthouse, the clifftop beacon of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, was illuminated for the first time. — Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026 Primm, Nevada, was once a beacon in the desert for travelers driving on Interstate 15 from Southern California to Las Vegas — a family-friendly destination, and the first place to gamble right over the Nevada border. — Christopher Intagliata, NPR, 3 July 2026

Verb

Growing underground with their luminous flowers beaconing through the soil, around 90 species of Thismia have been discovered. — Melissa Breyer, Treehugger, 27 Feb. 2023 In the meantime, January will beacon you into hermit mode, especially at the top of the month due to the Cancer full moon on Friday, January 6. — Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Dec. 2022 See All Example Sentences for beacon

Recent Examples of Synonyms for beacon

Noun

If caught in dense blowing dust, pull off the road, turn off your lights and keep your foot off the brake.

— CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026
Instead of projecting light onto a flat surface, the new method directs laser energy into a three-dimensional volume inside a photosensitive material called SU-8.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 July 2026

Definition of light

Verb

Fantastic, illumined by periodic excursions into surrealism, as when the crew of a mysterious UFO boards a transpacific Kahuna Airlines jet midflight.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
Geraldine walked over to Felix and Jane’s for fish soup, through long autumn shadows in the park, haze rising like smoke from the grass, illumined by the low sun.

— Tessa Hadley, New Yorker, 25 Jan. 2026

Definition of illumine

Verb

Top Gear's Jack Rix has actually had a gander at the Torcal, and described it as having a large grille with illuminating 3D diamonds for serious bling.

— Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 8 July 2026
Ward also finds meaning in the agonized history of her native South, illuminating our most misunderstood member of the American family.

— Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026

Definition of illuminate

Noun

The space is a balance between tropical escape and late-night lounge, with moody lighting, sexy design elements and music that keeps the energy elevated throughout the evening.

— Blair Crosby, AJC.com, 5 July 2026
On July 4 and July 5, the skyscraper will feature red, white, and blue lighting to celebrate Independence Day.

— Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 July 2026

Definition of lighting

Noun

In real life, friendships tend to end more like a candle that gradually reaches the end of its wick.

— Joy Harden Bradford, AJC.com, 2 July 2026
Fans have seen glimpses of the home on social media over the years and, more recently, watched Swift use a fire extinguisher to put out a small candle blaze in the kitchen in a video posted by Swift’s recent musical collaborator Gracie Abrams.

— Lily Boyce, New York Times, 2 July 2026

Definition of candle

Browse Nearby Words

beachside

beacon

beaconed

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Style

“Beacon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beacon. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of beacon

noun

verb

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