liminal

adjective

Definition of liminalnext
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.

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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 liminal Much of the film is sun-soaked and colorful and filled with the rhythm and chaos of life in a cloistered, liminal community. — Jd Linville, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026 Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as a furniture-store owner who finds himself in the titular liminal space, a haunting maze of hallways and rooms that exists on a physically impossible plane of existence. — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 24 July 2026 Halfway up the incline, there among the liminal zone between the two ecosystems, nestles the Paradine plains cactus, numbering about 4,000 strong. — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 20 July 2026 The app has become a quintessential cog in the dating machine—especially in those liminal stages, the flirtations and the breakups. — Annie Joy Williams, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for liminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for liminal
  1. subtle
  2. faint
  3. unseen
  4. slight
  5. invisible
Adjective
  • Here, she’s matured as a well-rounded comedienne who can pull the stops for subtle approaches to laughs, and though the mugging is still evident, it’s only used for propitious moments.
    — Hank Grant, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Comey’s nods to Drexler are mostly subtle, drawing from the artist’s color palette of vibrant hues from bright green and orange to cobalt blue and lilac, with an eye toward their high-contrast juxtapositions, a hallmark of Drexler’s paintings.
    — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of subtle
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, her cheeks and lips were accented with a faint swipe of peach blush and rose gloss, and her lashes were coated in black mascara, giving the overall look a refined appeal.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Even as their faint rally began to flourish in the eighth inning, there was no credible reason to believe the ending would be any different this time.
    — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of faint
Adjective
  • The other unseen draw for the major studios in Canada was its creatives and crews, and local actors aligned with ACTRA, the country’s performers union.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Nearly everything that survives of the rebels comes down through their enemies’ pens; Greengrass’ film reaches toward lives that history left largely unseen.
    — JP Mangalindan, Time, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of unseen
Adjective
  • The slight worry is that Zheng will run out of gas at some point after coming through the qualifying tournament and winning six matches in New York.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • For all their advantages, quantum technologies are extremely sensitive, and these devices can be thrown out of gear by the slightest changes in temperature or environmental noise.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of slight
Adjective
  • The cost of our avoidance of clozapine is invisible but enormous, measured in people who stay sick, and in lives that end early, for want of a drug already sitting on the shelf.
    — Nitin Gogtay, STAT, 4 Sep. 2026
  • From the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, without a doubt, one of the most important aspects in their invisible architecture was the stress test.
    — Matthew Peters, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of invisible

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limeys
liminal
limit
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Cite this Entry

“Liminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/liminal. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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