variants
also loadstars
as in compasses
a guiding or motivating purpose or principle
a society seemingly with unbridled greed as its only lodestar
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lodestars
Over succeeding decades, both Sellars and Salonen have been Salzburg Festival lodestars.
—
Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
But in swapping out just four tracks, FKA twigs finally brought planet EUSEXUA into the orbit of her late-’90s pop lodestars.
—Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2025
Despite their three-year age difference, Derek Hough and Julianne Hough have become the twin lodestars of Dancing With the Stars.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Nov. 2025
Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
But in swapping out just four tracks, FKA twigs finally brought planet EUSEXUA into the orbit of her late-’90s pop lodestars.
—Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2025
Despite their three-year age difference, Derek Hough and Julianne Hough have become the twin lodestars of Dancing With the Stars.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lodestars
Noun
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Pilots learn to navigate using maps and compasses, as well as natural cues such as stars and terrain features including rivers, bridges and other landmarks to orient themselves and move toward friendly forces.—
Luis Martinez,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
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Likewise, this administration has demonstrated a talent for sudden pivots — foreign policy statements that change overnight, budget proposals that evaporate by morning, and messaging that suggests the communications team may be using different maps, compasses and time zones.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Crews are expanding the highway to have two lanes going in both northbound and southbound directions.—
Kayla Moeller,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
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Video taken by a bystander in the area shows a mob of juveniles throwing punches on the street, with one group surrounding an officer before scattering in different directions.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
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New studies by two major La Jolla medical research institutions explore aging and its effects on the brain, albeit with different focuses.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Apr. 2026
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Despite Texas not satisfying their trio of focuses, a trio of sophomores stepped up to help carry the Longhorns to the Elite Eight.—
Zoe Collins Rath,
Austin American Statesman,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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What's new is using criminal prosecutors for partisan purposes -- and there's no quotes about that in the case.—
Devin Dwyer,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
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For salary cap accounting purposes, this lump sum can be prorated (divided evenly) over the length of the contract to spread out the amount that counts against the cap.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lodestars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lodestars. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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