light-years

noun

plural of light-year
as in worlds
a huge physical or conceptual distance my sister and I are close in age, but personality-wise, there are light-years between us

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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 light-years Scientists have previously speculated that a GRB would vaporize anything caught in its death rays up to 200 light-years from the source. — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026 Found about 37 million light-years from Earth, this galaxy sparkles in this side-on view. — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2026 This star is about 7,232 degrees Fahrenheit (4,000 degrees Celsius) and around 284 light-years away from Earth. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2026 About 65 million light-years from Earth, three galaxies don’t look quite right. — Quanta Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026 Smart home control, routines, general queries, calendar management, and shopping are light-years ahead of pre-AI Alexa, mostly because the new Alexa understands me better. — Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge, 8 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for light-years
  1. worlds
  2. galaxies
Noun
  • Having multiple worlds all in one orbit might be handy for interplanetary travel.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 16 Oct. 2026
  • For Homes, her pursuit of other worlds began through phone books and letters to strangers.
    — Brianna J. Heath, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of worlds
Noun
  • The universe is rife with galaxies, stars and worlds that change very little during an astronomer’s brief time on Earth.
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • This image was captured as part of a larger Hubble survey that's exploring 260 satellite galaxies, which are galaxies gravitationally bound to larger hosts.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of galaxies

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Cite this Entry

“Light-years.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/light-years. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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