beacon 1 of 2

noun

ˈbē-kən How to pronounce beacon (audio)
Definition of beaconnext
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
That type of growth acts like a beacon to other non-energy investors, and suddenly Chi has found his companies’ funding rounds increasingly crowded. — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026 The only visible sign of it was its green eyeshine, two beacons burning with their own copper fire. — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 21 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
  1. light
  2. illumine
  3. lamp
  4. illuminate
  5. lighting
  6. candle
Noun
  • Assembly Republican Leader Alexandra Macedo, R-Tulare, called on Choudri to step down in light of the report.
    — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The Cathcarts’ office is gloomy and dark, while the Taylor & Byrne rooms are filled with light and air.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 9 Oct. 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
  • French mid-century chairs purchased in Paris in 1995 now live in the kitchen, vintage Anglepoise lamps sit atop bedside tables, and vintage tortoise shells hang from the library walls.
    — Tanya Fevzi, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The Frame suspension grid lamp was influenced by the work of American painter and sculptor Ellsworth Kelly and French painter Marcel Duchamp.
    — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of lamp
Verb
  • The honor recognizes artists whose careers and creative choices illuminate complex, boundary-crossing stories and expand representation in global entertainment.
    — Mathew Scott, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Custom cabinetry wraps around the large windows, and Art Deco pendants illuminate the two central islands.
    — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of illuminate
Noun
  • The production itself was relatively stripped back, relying largely on the rail and a palette of pink and red lighting rather than some elaborate staging or visuals.
    — Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 10 Oct. 2026
  • That tension between the natural and the constructed ran through the lighting too.
    — Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of lighting
Noun
  • And some manage the difficult trick of tasting like fall without giving off loads of scented-candle energy.
    — Monti Carlo, AJC.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Alongside wireless lamps and smart calendars, the current shortlist includes candle warmer lamps, heated throw blankets, essential-oil diffusers, sunrise alarm clocks and rainfall showerheads.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of candle

Browse Nearby Words

beachside
beacon
beaconed
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Cite this Entry

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

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about beacon

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