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 The tomb’s entrance passage, with narrowing walls and descending axis, creates a liminal stage to orient the body before entering the burial chamber. — Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026 If the liminal atmosphere in Backrooms, enhanced by the cinematography of Jeremy Cox, gave you a sense of dread, his camera work on Concrete Turned to Sand will take you into a very different space – oyster farms in British Columbia, Canada. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026 This city is already a freaky liminal space full of snaking pathways that are almost incomprehensible. — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2026 There’s a liminal place between the outside of the glass and the reflecting material. — Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for liminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for liminal
  1. subtle
  2. faint
  3. unseen
  4. slight
  5. invisible
Adjective
  • Coleman said each design has its own distinct character and can be styled individually, either as a subtle everyday detail or a sculptural statement.
    — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • As the researchers saw, introducing random mutation could still make subtle structural tweaks that produced enzymes that were considerably more active.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of subtle
Adjective
  • And according to Nanayakkara, this in turn raises the possibility that even older (and fainter) FRBs have passed by Earth unnoticed.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Its exceptional transparency can reveal faint stars near the threshold of naked-eye visibility.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of faint
Adjective
  • The team also tested PASSAGE on a Unitree G1 humanoid robot across 50 previously unseen physical layouts.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Moore plays Mona, a meek, thoroughly unseen wife and mother who impulsively decides to audition for a community theater musical despite having no experience.
    — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of unseen
Adjective
  • The two remained locked in a tight race as early voting nears with Talarico having a slight edge in most polls.
    — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The bodice of the top was a crisp white, while the sleeves were cast in vibrant yellow, a slight nod to the bold color trend for the season.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of slight
Adjective
  • Unlike a conventional tattoo, whose visible design generally remains until the pigment is removed or altered, PhotoTat lets users switch their tattoos between coloured and nearly invisible states.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Yet as midterm elections draw near, the movement is nearly invisible on the campaign trail and struggling to find a financial or messaging foothold in key races.
    — Isabella Cueto, STAT, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of invisible

Browse Nearby Words

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 15 Oct. 2026.

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