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
On Boredom, Rebellion and Being In-Between is an exploration of liminal spaces—both conceptual and physical—where girls have been placed and represented.
—
Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2025
As long as readers continue to crave that liminal space between dreams and reality, Labyrinth and its imaginative literary descendants will endure.
—Logan Karlie
september 2, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
Through the nineteen-seventies, as Reich and Philip Glass were causing a ruckus in the classical-music establishment, Riley became a liminal figure.
—William Robin, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2025
August is fashion’s liminal space — think summer’s ease meets fall’s anticipation.
—Angela Lei, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for liminal
Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2025
As long as readers continue to crave that liminal space between dreams and reality, Labyrinth and its imaginative literary descendants will endure.
—Logan Karlie
september 2, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
Through the nineteen-seventies, as Reich and Philip Glass were causing a ruckus in the classical-music establishment, Riley became a liminal figure.
—William Robin, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2025
August is fashion’s liminal space — think summer’s ease meets fall’s anticipation.
—Angela Lei, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for liminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for liminal
Adjective
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Featuring a subtle kick flare at the hem and chic pintuck detailing, they’re designed to hit right under the calf, or just at the ankle for petite people like myself.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Oct. 2025
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Adding parsnips and turnips to the recipe gives the dish a subtle earthy flavor that perfectly complements the savory chicken.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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While the faint scent of woodsmoke might feel nostalgic at first, consistent indoor exposure is anything but harmless.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
2 Nov. 2025
-
When the faint pass left his stick, Montreal Canadiens forward Alex Newhook was first to pounce.—
Julian McKenzie,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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That has given them a buffer and momentum which, while unseen in the final league table, has a huge bearing on how a season unfolds.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
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Aside from that book, Riva also co-authored a 2001 book of unseen photos of her mother and edited a volume of her mother’s poetry that was published in 2005.—
Victoria Edel,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Nobody who has even a slight awareness of how the organization does business expected the Ravens to trade multiple Day 1/2 draft picks for a player.—
Jeff Zrebiec,
New York Times,
5 Nov. 2025
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Boston has the opportunity to shell out a qualifying offer for the veteran hurler, which would be a slight raise worth roughly $22 million.—
Shaun McAvoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Why call my own identity invisible?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The invisible primary for president will take place from Tuesday, to a year from Tuesday.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Liminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/liminal. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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