Synonyms of beams

beams 1 of 2

noun

plural of beam

as in rays

a narrow sharply defined line of light radiating from an object

we'll need a flashlight that casts a broader beam in order to really see anything

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rays
• shafts
• sunbeams
• lasers
• spotlights
• moonbeams
• sunbursts

beams

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of beam

1

as in shines

to emit rays of light

a lighthouse has beamed from this site since the 1790s

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shines
• rays
• glows
• flashes
• radiates
• gleams
• flares
• flickers
• flames
• lights
• shimmers
• glimmers
• glitters
• illumines
• burns
• sparkles
• glistens
• twinkles
• fires
• glints
• blazes
• beats (down)
• glares
• illuminates
• luminesces
• irradiates
• winks
• spangles
• scintillates
• lightens
• blinds
• sheens
• brightens
• blinks
• glisters
• lusters
• dazzles
• winkles
• coruscates
• bedazzles
• dazes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• darkens
• lowers
• blackens

2

as in grins

to express an emotion (as amusement) by curving the lips upward

my father beamed when I showed him my new car

Synonyms & Similar Words

• grins
• smiles
• laughs
• smirks
• sneers
• simpers

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• grimaces
• glares
• frowns
• scowls
• lowers
• glowers
• glooms
• pouts
• sulks

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of beams

Noun

That’s harder than trying to spot a firefly right next to someone flashing their high-beams at you. — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026

The antlers grew off to the sides of the deer’s head instead of going upward, which contributed to the wide inside spread and long beams. — Richard P. Smith, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2026

Once the house is resting on I-beams, Craig and his crew excavate some more, to put hydraulic jacks under the beams. — Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026

Spotlights will be rented to form two vertical beams representing the Twin Towers. — Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2026

The result feels a bit like a magic trick, even in this era of supercar projector beams. — Marco Della Cava, Robb Report, 24 Aug. 2026

Each room is flooded with amber Southwestern light, framed by chunky wooden beams, and the massive beds are adorned with local textiles. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Aug. 2026

Now that demolition of the north half of I-44's bridge has been completed, replacement beams will be hung later this month, Long said. — Josh Kelly, Oklahoman, 22 Aug. 2026

Bunches from the two beams will collide every 10 nanoseconds in ePIC (the Electron-Proton/Ion Collider Detector), a house-sized system that will record the aftermath of these collisions. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 21 Aug. 2026

Verb

Inside Billy’s private movie theater, the projector beams down on the back of Anderson’s head like that infamous Nicole Kidman AMC promo. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026

Starlink beams down broadband to consumers, governments and businesses using more than 10,000 satellites orbiting close above the Earth. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026

SpaceX has told European officials that the proposal threatens to worsen Starlink Mobile service, which beams data to phones, including those in Ukraine. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 29 July 2026

Octavia Spencer beams from ear to ear at the Ride Or Die special screening in London on June 22. — Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026

Einbinder looks lovingly over at her costar, who beams back at her. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2026

Wade beams as his children describe their meal. — Andy Rose, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2026

Now there’s Hoppers, the latest blockbuster Pixar film, which follows a girl who beams her brain into a beaver robot in the hope of saving a beloved habitat. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026

Based on research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the device beams patients with gamma frequency light and sound for an hour a day. — Mario Aguilar, STAT, 5 Mar. 2026