lodestar

noun

ˈlōd-ˌstär How to pronounce lodestar (audio)
variants also loadstar
Definition of lodestarnext
as in compass
a guiding or motivating purpose or principle a society seemingly with unbridled greed as its only lodestar

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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 lodestar Like many other states, Washington law provides that the reasonableness of an attorney fee award should be determined by something called the lodestar method. — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 25 Mar. 2026 Over succeeding decades, both Sellars and Salonen have been Salzburg Festival lodestars. — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026 The event, which is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year, is a lodestar of the region’s burgeoning arts scene. — News Desk, Artforum, 19 Mar. 2026 Pop The rapper turned pop star Lizzo felt like a lodestar of the twenty-tens Zeitgeist. — Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lodestar
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lodestar
  1. compass
  2. direction
Noun
  • One direction changes with the prevailing winds instead of being anchored by an internal compass.
    — Catherine Bell, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The accurate and robust biometric sensors include an optical heart rate sensor, electrical heart sensor for ECG, altimeter, ambient light sensor, a compass, a gyroscope, an underwater depth gauge, and more.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of compass
Noun
  • Cleveland Police said a Volkswagen Passat carrying five members of the public was traveling the wrong way down the A66 highway near Middlesbrough and collided with a police vehicle on the same road going in the right direction.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Instead of constantly clutching it and taking it out of your bag for photos and map directions, a strap keeps your phone hands-free, secure, and instantly accessible.
    — Annita Katee, Travel + Leisure, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of direction

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Cite this Entry

“Lodestar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lodestar. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on lodestar

Nglish: Translation of lodestar for Spanish Speakers

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