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
Kids can exist in this in-between place full of uncertainty and porousness and ambiguity and all kinds of liminal stuff that dead dull finished grown-ups find difficult to endure.
—
Mac Barnett, Longreads, 5 May 2026
And Static wandered into liminal spaces, the inexplicable, and terrors sometimes best left unspoken.
—Richard Newby, HollywoodReporter, 27 Apr. 2026
The book portrays the city as a liminal metropolis where the line demarcating business and crime has been worn faint by heavy footfall from both directions.
—Mark O’Connell, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
Like many lobbies in Japan, this is a liminal space to gather and prepare yourself, not a spot to camp out for more than an hour on your laptop.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for liminal
Mac Barnett, Longreads, 5 May 2026
And Static wandered into liminal spaces, the inexplicable, and terrors sometimes best left unspoken.
—Richard Newby, HollywoodReporter, 27 Apr. 2026
The book portrays the city as a liminal metropolis where the line demarcating business and crime has been worn faint by heavy footfall from both directions.
—Mark O’Connell, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
Like many lobbies in Japan, this is a liminal space to gather and prepare yourself, not a spot to camp out for more than an hour on your laptop.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for liminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for liminal
Adjective
-
Those subtle details make a huge difference in both worlds.—
Bruce Feldman,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
-
Parents may notice subtle warning signs like skipping meals, cutting out entire food groups, anxiety around social eating, obsessive label reading, excessive exercise, or a sudden focus on body image.—
LeeAnn Weintraub,
Oc Register,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
To catch the faint signals of early-stage tumors, doctors required huge apparatus packed with complex optical paths, expensive spectrometers, and sensitive prisms.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
25 May 2026
-
The finish is medium to long, led by charred oak, baking spice, and vanilla, with lingering notes of orange zest, brown sugar, and a faint herbal touch of tobacco.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
Adjective
-
Williams regularly walks through the Tenderloin neighborhood in San Francisco to take impromptu portraits of people who live there, hoping to capture beauty, joy, laughter, and moments of humanity that are often unseen and neglected.—
Max Darrow,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
-
Chattahoochee Riverkeeper says these were the right conditions to cause a massive fish die-off, unseen in the river in recent memory.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
26 May 2026
Adjective
-
The finish is short, with lingering notes of citrus, pepper, and a slight mineral edge.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
-
That slight tweak—far from the grandiose promise of political revolution—might find power in the voters’ verdict.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
The line’s exact location has been ambiguous and sometimes invisible.—
Sam Mednick,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
Budgets are decided by Congress, leases by agencies, and major decisions are usually shaped by factors invisible from the outside.—
Ingmar Rentzhog,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Liminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/liminal. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
