eclipse 1 of 2

noun

i-ˈklips How to pronounce eclipse (audio)
Definition of eclipsenext
as in declination
a change to a lower state or level the eclipse of the town from a grand seaside resort to a tacky tourist trap

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

eclipse

2 of 2

verb

as in to surpass
to be greater, better, or stronger than the brilliant young pianist now eclipsed even his own mentor in musical artistry

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 eclipse
Noun
This month is basically like a bridge between the tumultuousness of August’s eclipses and the soul-searching that October’s Venus Retrograde will bring. — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026 Photos captured of the moon during the eclipse show the breathtaking interstellar phenomena. — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
In getting out ahead of OpenAI, Zuckerberg is building on the momentum of Muse, which skyrocketed to the top of Apple's App Store, eclipsing ChatGPT. — Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026 Enrollment numbers show the college has 527 graduate students and a record 2,691 undergraduate students, eclipsing last year’s record 2,632 undergraduates. — Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for eclipse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eclipse
  1. declination
  2. surpass
  3. deterioration
  4. exceed
  5. decline
  6. top
  7. degradation
  8. better
Noun
  • To me, the two nude figures in languid declination seemed, saliently, to be melting in the heat of a summer day, but their triton-wielding and breast-cupping poses must certainly have also invited debate centuries before.
    — Scott Laird, Travel + Leisure, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The declinations came as the DOJ reassigned and cut prosecutors working on environmental cases.
    — Ken B. Morales, ProPublica, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of declination
Verb
  • Supporters collected more than 1 million petition signatures in support of the measure, surpassing the 874,641 needed to qualify.
    — Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Just over 24 hours after its release, Panteón Rococó’s Tiny Desk session had already surpassed 1 million views on YouTube.
    — Natalia Cano, Billboard, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of surpass
Noun
  • Flores is seeking release largely because of what her lawyers describe as a serious deterioration in her health while in federal custody.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Imagine a system that flags hundreds of concerns but cannot distinguish meaningful deterioration from routine variation.
    — Arpan Saxena, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of deterioration
Verb
  • With annual revenues that can exceed hundreds of billions of dollars, these financial dynasties have made their mark both nationwide and across the globe.
    — Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2026
  • In-store shopping generally exceeds online in every state except Maryland and New York, where online is the narrow leader.
    — Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of exceed
Noun
  • This was done three times per hill, each wall beginning where the previous one stopped but positioned to follow the direction that represents the most rapid topographical decline.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The Wall Street Journal reported the exodus at the time as a 17% decline in two years.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of decline
Verb
  • Jersey tops start at about 400 euros; dresses range from 650 to 1,000 euros; jackets from 1,200 to 1,400 euros, and the most elaborate dresses top 2,000 euros.
    — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The Massachusetts Institute of Technology topped the list of national universities, and Williams College ranked first among the list of national liberal arts colleges.
    — Austin Sarat, The Conversation, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of top
Noun
  • The engine manufacturer conducted post-test inspections after the evaluation and found no evidence of degradation.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Sep. 2026
  • For example, the company traced the helium leaks to valve problems — specifically, degradation that occurred after exposure to nitrogen tetroxide, the oxidizer in Starliner's propulsion system.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of degradation
Verb
  • As a senator, her priorities include supporting economic development, bettering police and community relations, securing funding for educational programs and passing policies for affordable housing, according to her campaign website.
    — Alula Alderson, Sacbee.com, 27 Sep. 2026
  • His hopes for The Situation is to better the experience of other disadvantaged creatives climbing the ranks today.
    — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of better

Browse Nearby Words

eclectic
eclipse
eclipsed
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Cite this Entry

“Eclipse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eclipse. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on eclipse

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about eclipse

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