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

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 beacon

Noun

The dazzling planet remains the unmistakable evening beacon, shining low above the west shortly after sunset. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 4 Sep. 2026 After the end of the fest, the Smith Rafael Film Center continues to be a beacon for indie films and often features Q&As with filmmakers. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 4 Sep. 2026

Verb

In its early years, it was located smack in the middle of the grounds, a beaconing festival-goers with beats, cirque performances and the all-important misters. — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2024 Growing underground with their luminous flowers beaconing through the soil, around 90 species of Thismia have been discovered. — Melissa Breyer, Treehugger, 27 Feb. 2023 See All Example Sentences for beacon

Recent Examples of Synonyms for beacon

Noun

Remembrances extended far from the attack sites, including beams of light projected from New Hampshire's Mount Washington, a stair climb at Mississippi State University's football stadium and a ceremony at Honolulu's 9/11 memorial.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2026
North Carolina Democrats in the state’s House of Representatives cut all ties with one of their candidates running for the state legislature after her past social media posts about violence against Republicans came to light.

— David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 11 Sep. 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

Noun

There were a lot of old lamps, some of which had imaginative and peculiar designs, though many were also just plain ugly.

— Lydia Davis, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2026
The Conrad Orlando at Evermore also introduced wellness rooms in 2024, stocking them with Normatec leg-compression systems, fancy mattresses from Bryte, and Loftie lamps, which are designed to help regulate melatonin and support circadian rhythms.

— Chadner Navarro, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of lamp

Verb

Moss green cabinets and a marble backsplash anchor the kitchen, illuminated by a window at the end of the corridor.

— Sophia Herring, Architectural Digest, 9 Sep. 2026
In the process, the room itself is illuminated, revealing a workshop deserted in a hurry by its artisans, clay, sawdust, fabric, paper, and paint scattered across the atelier workbenches.

— Liam Hess, Vogue, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of illuminate

Noun

At the beginning of the twentieth century, oil markets were threatened by the transition away from kerosene and gas lighting towards electric light.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
On the city’s end, officials promised improved lighting in that area and also positioned surveillance cameras at the intersection of 20th and L Streets.

— Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of lighting

Noun

Her representatives asked her fans to light a candle in her honor and to donate to her charity, Gloria’s Foundation.

— Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2026
Her representatives asked her fans to light a candle in her honor and for donations to be made to her charity, Gloria’s Foundation.

— Elizabeth Chuck, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of candle

Browse Nearby Words

beachside

beacon

beaconed

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Beacon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beacon. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of beacon

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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