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
That liminal space that Elie describes between belief and disbelief has closed, at least for the time being.
—
Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2025
As a death doula, a big part of the work is sitting in that liminal space rather than running away from it.
—Nicole Stanton, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025
Summer is a state of mind, and the micro-trends below occupy that liminal space between easy city polish and dreamy holiday dressing.
—Talia Abbas, Vogue, 17 May 2025
The ‘Just passing through’ players These are individuals to whom Old Trafford became a liminal space.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for liminal
Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2025
As a death doula, a big part of the work is sitting in that liminal space rather than running away from it.
—Nicole Stanton, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025
Summer is a state of mind, and the micro-trends below occupy that liminal space between easy city polish and dreamy holiday dressing.
—Talia Abbas, Vogue, 17 May 2025
The ‘Just passing through’ players These are individuals to whom Old Trafford became a liminal space.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for liminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for liminal
Adjective
-
In this edition, the grey tone reflects the muted, misty landscape of the British coast, with subtle variations achieved through multiple layers of transparent lacquer.—
Matthew Catellier,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
-
The result was a robust workforce forecasting model, one that’s sophisticated enough to consider the subtle complexities of human behavior and help identify potential attrition risks.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
If that happens, a person may become confused and dizzy, and feel faint.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
19 June 2025
-
The headband usually has to be readjusted ahead of the next wear, as the sound can be faint if the headphones are not perfectly positioned over the ears.—
Rebecca Taylor,
Outside Online,
19 June 2025
Adjective
-
How better to represent Hwang’s themes of end-stage, winners-and-losers capitalism, with its warping, destructive power, and how the ill-intentioned can exploit democracy’s flaws, than to depict an ordinary person buffeted by the unseen hand of pain for profit?—
Michael Ordoña,
Los Angeles Times,
27 June 2025
-
The most frustrating character on The Bear continues to be Claire (Molly Gordon), whose on-screen role in Season 3 was limited, but whose importance even as an unseen force has grown and grown.—
Linda Holmes,
NPR,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
Advertisement Even with such protections, the slightest communication advantage is worrying in the wrong hands, especially when deployed at a mass scale.—
Andrew Luttrell,
Time,
24 June 2025
-
This was a shift from May, when Democrats had a slight advantage—48 percent planned to support Democrats, while 45 percent leaned toward Republicans, according to the pollster.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 2025
Adjective
-
Agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) don't just manage disease outbreaks or approve new treatments—they're the invisible safety net beneath our health system.—
Kristen Waggoner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 2025
-
One generation’s gift to the next—a modern iteration of an ancient sky ritual held in the darkest hours—to sustain communion with the oldest cosmic light, rendering the invisible visible for everyone to see.—
Michael Jones McKean,
The Atlantic,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Liminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/liminal. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share