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
The invigorating result, executive produced by Martin Scorsese, is a portrait of friendship and camaraderie as much as a paean to an era of experimental New York theater that still shines like a beacon. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026 The vivid blue-green waters of Lake Turkana appear like a beacon amid the surrounding semi-desert. — Nicola Shepherd, Travel + Leisure, 11 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
  • Cameramen raced around hectically setting up lights and checking shots as choreographers ran through fight sequences and a prop team worked out how to hoist a net that would later restrain a hostage.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The Crucial Differentiator Unlike intranasal light devices, Brainlume does not require any kind of insertion, nasal or otherwise.
    — William Jones, USA Today, 21 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
  • The flourishes are eclectic and include octopus lamps, tiger scatter cushions, bird cage hangings, and vintage Louis Vuitton chests alongside bookshelves stacked with some interesting reading options.
    — Megan Wilkes, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The custom bed is upholstered in a Dedar silk print, the nightstand is from Christopher Cawley Antiques and the lamp is from Colonia Antiques.
    — Sara Ruffin Costello, Architectural Digest, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of lamp
Verb
  • If nothing else, The Steppe and Its Empires is illuminating as a catalog of comparable practices across these empires.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Telescopes have upended astronomy again and again by illuminating what was previously invisible to the naked eye.
    — Elijah Tan, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 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
  • While sharing her beauty secrets with Vogue, the Bollywood star sets the mood by lighting a Dolce & Gabbana candle.
    — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Both fragrances will be available in a variety of Bath & Body Works products such as body cream, body wash, fragrance mist and a 3-wick candle, among other products.
    — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 12 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 23 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on beacon

Nglish: Translation of beacon for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about beacon

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