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
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
  1. light
  2. illumine
  3. lamp
  4. illuminate
  5. lighting
  6. candle
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
Noun
  • This cordless lamp comes in four warm neutrals, and all feature a ceramic shade that flops over its base like pastry dough.
    — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 15 July 2026
  • Most of those cases involve cooking equipment, fireplaces and chimneys, space heaters, lamps, bulbs, wiring and candles.
    — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 15 July 2026
Definition of lamp
Verb
  • Think of this as a mini-art gallery where illuminated dioramas spring to life and transform before us.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
  • Adding dyes and microparticles to the water and illuminating them with lasers helped capture the flows on high-speed video.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 13 July 2026
Definition of illuminate
Noun
  • For about four days, passengers were left without working toilets, air conditioning or lighting in parts of the ship.
    — Kalia Richardson, USA Today, 10 July 2026
  • Tablet technology allows guests to customize their stay, with touchscreen lighting and temperature control, along with menus for room service and spa treatments on the 20th floor.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 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
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beacon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beacon. Accessed 18 Jul. 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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