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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Recent Examples of liminal
Early in the movie, failed architect and failing furniture-store owner Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor) discovers a portal into a seemingly endless, unpopulated liminal space filled with distorted reproductions of real-world rooms, objects, and even whole neighborhoods.
—
Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 29 May 2026
Hitting theaters Friday from A24, Backrooms stars Duplass alongside Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Finn Bennett and Lukita Maxwell in the film about a therapist tracking down a missing patient in a bizarre dimension of liminal space.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 26 May 2026
What begins as a skeptical pursuit of Richard’s double quickly devolves into an all-consuming obsession, unraveling Clare’s grip on reality and pulling her into a liminal nightmare where she is suspended between the living and the dead.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 12 May 2026
Airports themselves, liminal spaces that, normally, are pleasantly severed from the lurches of the world, spun out, too.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for liminal
Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 29 May 2026
Hitting theaters Friday from A24, Backrooms stars Duplass alongside Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Finn Bennett and Lukita Maxwell in the film about a therapist tracking down a missing patient in a bizarre dimension of liminal space.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 26 May 2026
What begins as a skeptical pursuit of Richard’s double quickly devolves into an all-consuming obsession, unraveling Clare’s grip on reality and pulling her into a liminal nightmare where she is suspended between the living and the dead.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 12 May 2026
Airports themselves, liminal spaces that, normally, are pleasantly severed from the lurches of the world, spun out, too.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for liminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for liminal
Adjective
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Star power takes a neutral cat-eye base and turns it into a subtle statement moment.—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
17 June 2026
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Where their Florida style is bold and flamboyant, the ranch is subtle and defined by a rich, earthy palette.—
Elizabeth Kiefer,
Architectural Digest,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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However, some observers have reported hearing faint crackling or hissing noises during intense displays.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
15 June 2026
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June's new moon is finally upon us, bringing with it a handful of precious dark nights in which to explore the wonders of the starry sky, before the familiar sight of the waxing lunar crescent returns to hide fainter targets from view.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
14 June 2026
Adjective
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Randy’s name was revealed during JoAnne’s (Sarah Goldberg) conversation with an unseen agent in the closing moments of the finale.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
16 June 2026
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Behind many accomplishments are friends, colleagues, mentors, relatives, teachers, and caregivers whose contributions often go unseen.—
Jennifer Jay Palumbo,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Adjective
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As long as the overall drink remains sufficiently boozy, cocktails that contain citrus—such as margaritas, daiquiris, and cosmopolitans—can also work well or just require a few slight tweaks.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
13 June 2026
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The camera caught Maher staring at the stage with a slight smile, seemingly unsure how to react.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
13 June 2026
Adjective
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Contacts correct vision and filter blue light in one nearly invisible package, while glasses can be worn over existing contacts.—
Samantha Agate,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2026
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Though largely invisible to the public, infrastructure increasingly determines America’s economic competitiveness.—
Gregg Herrin,
Fortune,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Liminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/liminal. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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