Synonyms of luminaries

luminaries

noun

plural of luminary

1

as in stars

a ball-shaped gaseous celestial body that shines by its own light

awed by the vast number of luminaries in the night sky

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stars
• galaxies
• suns
• clusters
• spheres
• supernovas
• variables
• constellations
• neutron stars
• brown dwarfs
• quasars
• white dwarfs
• binary stars
• fixed stars
• pulsars
• variable stars
• supergiants
• red stars
• lodestars
• red giants
• superclusters
• giant stars
• dwarfs
• red dwarfs
• novas
• subdwarfs
• gassers

2

as in celebrities

a person who is widely known and usually much talked about

luminaries from the worlds of sports, entertainment, and politics were at the gala

Synonyms & Similar Words

• celebrities
• stars
• personalities
• figures
• dignitaries
• notables
• superstars
• heroes
• personages
• celebs
• VIPs
• notabilities
• lights
• names
• standouts
• icons
• megastars
• worthies
• idols
• causes célèbres
• somebodies
• favorites
• eminences
• magnates
• immortals
• notorieties
• pillars
• monuments
• bigwigs
• heartthrobs
• barons
• demigods
• moguls
• nabobs
• big shots
• panjandrums
• kahunas

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• nobodies
• mediocrities
• lightweights
• noncelebrities
• has-beens

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of luminaries

Over the years, the convention center arena has hosted a who’s who of music luminaries, the kind of acts people tell their kids and grandkids about years after seeing them. — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Sep. 2026

Then in 2024, at the Paris Olympic Games, her golden statue rises from the Seine, alongside other female luminaries Simon Veil and Simone de Beauvoir. — Annika Pham, Variety, 1 Sep. 2026

Since Parton’s death on Tuesday following a cancer diagnosis, celebrities, politicians, and luminaries have mourned her loss. — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026

Tributes from entertainment luminaries, politicians and others immediately followed. — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026

All the essays collected here are by writers who happen to swim, rather than swimmers who happen to write, including luminaries like Margaret Drabble, Esther Freud, and Leanne Shapton. — Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026

Last year, luminaries like Conan O’Brien, Ryan Murphy, and Viola Davis were all honored at the event, which closed out the festival on a high note. — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2026

Trump’s close ties to sports luminaries have helped him on the campaign trail and are paying off this summer, with the Senate scheduled for its first votes on the bill next month. — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 11 Aug. 2026

Jamison also didn’t put anyone who played before 1974 on his team, leaving out older luminaries like Charlie Scott, Bobby Jones, Walter Davis, Bob McAdoo, Billy Cunningham and Lennie Rosenbluth. — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 11 Aug. 2026