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 Exits: Poor Sinner The Cincinnati Open has existed in a strange liminal space this week.
—
Chris Branch, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
In this liminal space between reality and the afterlife, Frida bargains with la Catrina, an alluring female embodiment of death popular in Mexican culture.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 15 Aug. 2025
In this case, the veteran horror director turned a liminal but limited movie (1951's The Thing From Another World) into a haunting effects extravaganza.
—Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Throughout, Giles Nuttgens’ cinematography is bright and crisp, holding the film in the glossy, liminal space between A-feature and B–movie.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for liminal
Chris Branch, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
In this liminal space between reality and the afterlife, Frida bargains with la Catrina, an alluring female embodiment of death popular in Mexican culture.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 15 Aug. 2025
In this case, the veteran horror director turned a liminal but limited movie (1951's The Thing From Another World) into a haunting effects extravaganza.
—Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Throughout, Giles Nuttgens’ cinematography is bright and crisp, holding the film in the glossy, liminal space between A-feature and B–movie.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for liminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for liminal
Adjective
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His celebration was subtle yet suave, a drop of his bat with a flick of his wrist.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
13 Sep. 2025
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This is clearly a quick screen and may not pick up more subtle issues.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Subways send a low rumble through the pavement, traffic makes overpasses quiver, and footsteps create faint ripples in the floor.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
-
For objects like star clusters, a longer imaging time gives you the chance to resolve fainter stars.—
Harry Bennett,
Space.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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There is also a hardcover book packed with unseen photographs, a comic book tour programme, and a Knebworth concert poster.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
12 Sep. 2025
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Use Intuition To Anticipate Future Trends A leader’s intuition is their backstage pass to the future—spotting unseen patterns, sensing cultural shifts and making bold moves before data catches up.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The night’s slight chill is perfect for a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon by an indoor fireplace or outdoor firepit.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Julie McNamara is back developing series for CBS Studios — with one slight difference.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The final result needed to be invisible, weightless, scentless, and makeup-gripping, all of which were achieved with flying colors—actually, with no color at all since the formula is completely clear on all skin tones.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
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Those choices form the invisible curriculum that influences how students think, collaborate, and eventually lead as professionals and citizens.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Liminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/liminal. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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