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
Relevance
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of luminaries
To identify books and compile the list, The Times surveyed more than 200 luminaries in the book and journalism worlds, including prize-winning authors, Man Booker Prize judges, Ivy League professors, literary agents and journalists, along with several zealous book clubs.
—
Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
Lea Seydoux, Isabelle Huppert, Catherine Deneuve and Monica Bellucci are among other cinema luminaries starring in films at the festival, while Sandra Hüller returns with Competition film Fatherland.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2026
There’s correspondence to and from Chicago literary luminaries like Nelson Algren, Gwendolyn Brooks, Jack Conroy, and Sherwood Anderson.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
Rest assured that here too, under the gold-leaf ceiling, you may be seated next to luminaries of Rome’s cultural and political scenes.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
Via social media, luminaries including Jimmy Kimmel and Jamie Lee Curtis also shared images of support.
—Diego Parrado, Vanity Fair, 29 Mar. 2026
The ingredients themselves are the luminaries of spring.
—Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 26 Mar. 2026
Inspired by late-‘70s Música Popular Brasileira (MPB) legends such as Erasmo Carlos, as well as esteemed luminaries from the Tropicalia movement like Caetano Veloso, the São Paulo native doesn’t so much resurrect these traditions but tilt them off-axis.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 25 Mar. 2026
The location’s opening was initially defined by good times, with hip-hop and R&B luminaries gracing its floors.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
Lea Seydoux, Isabelle Huppert, Catherine Deneuve and Monica Bellucci are among other cinema luminaries starring in films at the festival, while Sandra Hüller returns with Competition film Fatherland.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2026
There’s correspondence to and from Chicago literary luminaries like Nelson Algren, Gwendolyn Brooks, Jack Conroy, and Sherwood Anderson.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
Rest assured that here too, under the gold-leaf ceiling, you may be seated next to luminaries of Rome’s cultural and political scenes.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
Via social media, luminaries including Jimmy Kimmel and Jamie Lee Curtis also shared images of support.
—Diego Parrado, Vanity Fair, 29 Mar. 2026
The ingredients themselves are the luminaries of spring.
—Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 26 Mar. 2026
Inspired by late-‘70s Música Popular Brasileira (MPB) legends such as Erasmo Carlos, as well as esteemed luminaries from the Tropicalia movement like Caetano Veloso, the São Paulo native doesn’t so much resurrect these traditions but tilt them off-axis.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 25 Mar. 2026
The location’s opening was initially defined by good times, with hip-hop and R&B luminaries gracing its floors.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for luminaries
Noun
-
Fresh off the global success of KPop Demon Hunters, the film’s vocal stars are bringing their fandom full circle with a new collaboration that turns a familiar fast-food run into an immersive experience.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The Lyrid meteor shower is active from April 16-25 and reaches its peak overnight on April 21-22, when up to 18 shooting stars may be seen flaring to life each hour in the early spring sky, according to the American Meteor Society.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
To celebrate the opening, Nat Geo explorer Bertie Gregory made an appearance at the pop-up, introducing the documentary to an audience of fans, influencers and celebrities as well as highlighting the role of bees in the ecosystem and sharing some behind-the-scenes insights from the two-part series.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The fashion industry can be notoriously dismissive of celebrities who try to cross over into design.—
Gina Vaynshteyn,
StyleCaster,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The European Space Agency telescope is designed to make a 3D map of the universe by looking at billions of galaxies up to 10 billion light years away across one third of the sky.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
-
In fact, the gravitational influence of dark matter is crucial as the gravity of the visible matter in galaxies alone isn't sufficient to hold them together.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Others argue the outburst may ultimately benefit the MAGA media ecosystem by driving traffic and attention to its biggest personalities.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Feelings and thoughts about fleeting beauty, minimalism, suffering, the natural world, and way more come through in these thoughtfully designed and assembled cars that some people build their entire personalities around.—
Caleb Jacobs,
The Drive,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The team found the center of M82 expels the equivalent of seven suns each year.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
31 Mar. 2026
-
On the walls, some embossed with seashells, are moon carvings and brass suns, glossy lacquer minibars in baby blues and oxblood reds, and wonky puzzle piece doorknobs.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But many senior figures within the sport point to claims of positive fan feedback, although so far no official numbers have been released to support these claims from the F1 organization.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Executives at United and American Airlines reported similar figures.—
Rio Yamat,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Hummingbirds need open space when hunting for insects, so plants should be in clusters with hover space in between, allowing the birds good visibility and clear space to dart after a meal on the wing.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Apr. 2026
-
First, look for clusters of light green eggs, often laid in a triangle shape like billiard balls, on the undersides of leaves, and crush them.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The only other time the city quashes permit requests is during the United Nations General Assembly, a weeklong annual event in September that involves major street closures and police resources being heavily used to protect dignitaries from around the globe.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Family members, close friends, colleagues and dignitaries will enter from Franklin Boulevard and park in the south parking lot, using Entry 5.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Luminaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/luminaries. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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