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
Officials recommend that hikers carry personal locator beacons when venturing into remote areas. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026 While these new lands and rethemed attractions are designed for all future Disney park visitors, these additions predominantly act as a beacon to those that don’t travel as often to the company’s resorts and parks. — Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 17 Aug. 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
  1. light
  2. illumine
  3. lamp
  4. illuminate
  5. lighting
  6. candle
Noun
  • Not too much to write home about, but there’s a surprising amount of light for a railroad and a nice fire escape for your afternoon Zoom calls.
    — Nora DeLigter, Curbed, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Meaning a school that had high ceilings that was well ventilated, that had big windows for light and for air to come in, a nice entrance way, that’s something that would look nice.
    — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 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
  • Before Gould arrived, Gates’s team spent the day installing — making sure every bedspread, headboard, desk arrangement, lamp and, of course, the umbrella were perfectly in place.
    — Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Examples include coastal shell mirrors in a city home, Eiffel Tower lamps, or farmhouse signs.
    — Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of lamp
Verb
  • During these windows, sunlight illuminates the rocket's expanding exhaust plume while the sky itself remains mostly dark.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • As a result, most of the Sturgeon Moon could deepen into muted shades of copper, rust and brown, while a slim silver edge remains illuminated by direct sunlight.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of illuminate
Noun
  • Big silk screens protected the main cast to ensure clear audio and lighting.
    — Whitney Friedlander, Variety, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The Canadian hemlock wood looks clean and substantial, and the heating panels, wiring, controls, lighting, and speakers are all neatly integrated.
    — Evan Russum, Architectural Digest, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of lighting
Noun
  • Moroccan artist Hassan Hajjaj has a boutique store and café here; two of my other favorite studios to browse (and buy from) are those of cult lifestyle brand LRNCE, and candle-maker Côté Bougie.
    — Katie Silcox, Vogue, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The experience concludes with a performance from dancers in traditional garb and a candle lighting signifying the union between Panamanian and French cultures (Sofitel’s homeland).
    — DeMarco Williams, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 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 29 Aug. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about beacon

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