as in subtle
barely perceptible by a sense or by the mind
They studied how the subjects were affected by different sounds played at liminal intensity.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 liminal
The production design by Annie Beauchamp (Top of the Lake, On Becoming a God in Central Florida) is both recognizably grounded and subtly weird, and the camerawork of Lol Crawley (The Brutalist) is attuned to the liminal disconnect as well as the saturated palette.
—
Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 16 Mar. 2026
From that liminal moment emerged Mohammad Khatami, a former culture minister steeped in philosophy and theology, and a committed reformist.
—Alex Shams, Time, 14 Mar. 2026
But more important still than this aesthetic dissonance is the lack, in Pajoufar’s set, of any liminal space.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026
The sequence exists in a liminal space between reality and hallucination, with the tube seeming to go on forever.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for liminal
Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 16 Mar. 2026
From that liminal moment emerged Mohammad Khatami, a former culture minister steeped in philosophy and theology, and a committed reformist.
—Alex Shams, Time, 14 Mar. 2026
But more important still than this aesthetic dissonance is the lack, in Pajoufar’s set, of any liminal space.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026
The sequence exists in a liminal space between reality and hallucination, with the tube seeming to go on forever.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for liminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for liminal
Adjective
-
One search can yield a long list of options, each with its own rules, conditions, and subtle differences that are easy to miss at first glance.—
Matthew Kayser,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
-
However, a slight blurring of stars at the edge of the frame seems to betray the subtle motion of the spacecraft — or camera — over the course of the 10-second exposure.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
It’s held together by the faintest pulse of a bassline.—
Joshua Minsoo Kim,
Pitchfork,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Gomeisa is a fainter star just to the upper right of Procyon.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The flyby lasted seven hours, during which the astronauts could enjoy views of the lunar surface previously unseen by human eyes, with about 21% of the moon’s mysterious far side illuminated by the sun from the crew’s perspective.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2026
-
After the door of the structure had been closed and the grate ignited from above, the women, unseen from the outside, lay down on top of each other and created a pyre from their bodies, clinging to each other so tightly that not even a piece of straw could be squeezed between them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, walnuts lend a slight crunch throughout.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Cloud cover is forecasted to stick around all day, and temperatures are likely to top out in the low 80s this afternoon with a slight breeze from the south.—
Lauren Bostwick,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
After sweeping up broken glass, tiny, almost-invisible shards often remain behind.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Like all black holes, primordial black holes have mass and thus interact with gravity and are effectively invisible due to the fact that they are bounded by a light-trapping surface called an event horizon.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Liminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/liminal. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
