beacons 1 of 2

noun

plural of beacon
as in lamps
something that provides illumination the floodlit skyscraper is one of the city's most beloved nighttime beacons

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beacons

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of beacon
as in illumines
to supply with light a lone lighthouse beacons the entrance to the island's only harbor

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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 beacons
Noun
The feat required a small armada of instruments—acoustic transponders, pressure gauges, hydrophones (underwater seismic microphones) and geodetic beacons—deployed across a tectonically active stretch of a mid-ocean ridge. — Sam MacDonald, Scientific American, 8 July 2026 Nonprofits and other groups sprang up around the country to care for the aging beacons. — Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026 From activewear heroes to beacons of quiet luxury, here are all the labels running their own summer sales right now and the top picks worth grabbing from each (in alphabetical order for your viewing pleasure). — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 2 July 2026 The data is fairly precise, measured to within 3 meters every 2 minutes based on the Global Positioning System, Bluetooth beacons, cell phone towers and local wifi networks. — Bart Jansen, USA Today, 29 June 2026 Leggings, sweats, or anything with a stretchy waistline aren't just leisure staples—they're beacons of comfort and emotional support. — Julia Guerra, InStyle, 24 June 2026 Swift was never designed for outside maintenance or docking with another spacecraft, so there are no standard docking rings, magnetic capture fixtures, or cooperative navigation beacons. — David Szondy june 18, New Atlas, 18 June 2026 Albuquerque is full of creative, artistic neon signs, once glowing beacons for motels, cafes, and attractions. — Rebecca Treon, Parents, 18 June 2026 To sail through the strait without being detected by Iran, many ships are turning off their Automatic Identification Systems, which are navigational beacons that broadcast their positions to avoid collisions. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 30 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beacons
  1. lamps
  2. lights
  3. candles
  4. illuminates
  5. headlights
Noun
  • Parking lamps and daytime running lights that turn off or flicker unintentionally can increase the likelihood of a crash, according to the recall report.
    — Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 10 July 2026
  • Skip overused string lights and choose rechargeable LED lamps for a chic, portable lighting alternative.
    — Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 July 2026
Definition of lamps
Verb
  • The instinctive Moon lights your 7th House of Partnership, squaring transformative Pluto in your 4th House of Home, so an agreement may need to account for family, privacy, or living-space realities.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2026
  • Passionate Mars lights your 11th House of Friends and Community, forming a harmonious trine to transformative Pluto in your 7th House of Partnership.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 5 July 2026
Definition of lights
Noun
  • The Greek patriarch will light candles and then the flame is passed from one candle to the next.
    — Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
Definition of candles
Verb
  • That contrast can give takeovers the appearance of a spontaneous revolt, one that illuminates the extreme economic disparities of our era.
    — Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026
  • Sometimes, the confluence of disparate events unexpectedly illuminates ideas and ideals that have universal and enduring resonance.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 4 July 2026
Definition of illuminates
Noun
  • Brumbelow has found that cars with headlights rated highly by IIHS for visibility—which includes many but not all LED headlights—have 19% fewer nighttime crashes compared to cars with poor headlight visibility.
    — Matt Fuchs, Time, 4 Aug. 2025
Definition of headlights

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beaconing
beacons
bead
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Cite this Entry

“Beacons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beacons. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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