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
Like many lobbies in Japan, this is a liminal space to gather and prepare yourself, not a spot to camp out for more than an hour on your laptop.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Apr. 2026
Not unlike a veranda with its open railings just outside of a structure—a liminal space neither indoors nor outdoors—languages, too, are permeable and liminal at their outer edges.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026
Her spring 2026 runway show, held at One Hanson Place in Brooklyn, cemented her ability to bridge the liminal space between past and present.
—Vogue, 30 Mar. 2026
Poem 1 carries forth Roxanne’s touchstones—choral music, new age, dream pop—into a liminal space that’s half-lieder, half-Grouper.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for liminal
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Apr. 2026
Not unlike a veranda with its open railings just outside of a structure—a liminal space neither indoors nor outdoors—languages, too, are permeable and liminal at their outer edges.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026
Her spring 2026 runway show, held at One Hanson Place in Brooklyn, cemented her ability to bridge the liminal space between past and present.
—Vogue, 30 Mar. 2026
Poem 1 carries forth Roxanne’s touchstones—choral music, new age, dream pop—into a liminal space that’s half-lieder, half-Grouper.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for liminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for liminal
Adjective
-
With Pluto turning retrograde in your 12th House of Reflection, patterns, habits, or emotional cycles may come into focus in subtle but meaningful ways.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 May 2026
-
Now, there’s no mention of Eugenie’s extended family, just a subtle but clear message about their connection to the King and no one else.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
That's because the waning gibbous moon will appear in the sky at the same time, most likely outshining many of the fainter shooting stars.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
4 May 2026
-
That's because, as Gray explained, the impact will be too faint for observations.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
This transit is shedding light on surface-level power and the unseen social currents secretly dictating your life.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Then just two weeks later, her father died by suicide after a long, largely unseen struggle with alcoholism and depression.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Saturday will be mostly dry but there is a slight chance for showers.—
Rachael Jay,
CBS News,
2 May 2026
-
In 2022, his rookie season ended early because of a slight stress fracture in his right ankle.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Before new visitors arrive, previous visitors’ footsteps are apparently erased by an invisible team of sand-rakers.—
Olivia Kan-Sperling,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
-
But, unbeknownst to many observers at the time, Graham was enduring even more withering pressures, with determination that was all the more impressive for being almost entirely invisible.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Liminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/liminal. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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