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
  • The museum’s circa 1905-06 Wisteria table lamp by Clara Driscoll will also be on view.
    — Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • White lamps look inspired by Grecian amphorae; wardrobes are ridged like classical columns.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of lamp
Verb
  • Each morning at the crack of dawn, in one of the great Instagram moments of our time, 165 enormous balloons begin to swell in Cappadocia's half-light, their burners briefly illuminating the valley floor.
    — Scott Campbell, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026
  • At night, few lights are turned on inside these beautiful slabs; of the twelve units in each building, only one or two are illuminated, meaning that most people with residences there live elsewhere in the city.
    — Jonathan Flint, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of illuminate
Noun
  • The cosmetic choices — from tile and lighting to custom doors and hardware — echo the period without slipping into nostalgia.
    — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • At night, the lighting turns the wings into a moving field of color while bursts of fire give the dragon the kind of oversized entrance Burning Man was made for.
    — Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of lighting
Noun
  • Many from the Liberty and William Jewell communities, including Barnett’s high school coaches, lit a candle in his name.
    — PJ Green August 30, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026
  • This pretty fixture works hard as a table lamp, candle warmer, and decor piece, offering a smoke-free way to add ambient light and fragrance to your space without the fire hazard.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Aug. 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 4 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on beacon

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about beacon

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