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
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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
The protest comes on the second day of VIP previews for art world luminaries and journalists ahead of the Biennale’s opening on Saturday.
—
ABC News, 6 May 2026
While sitting for a Reader’s Digest profile in 1988, Turner compared himself to a who’s who of historical luminaries that included Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, Mahatma Gandhi and Jesus Christ.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 6 May 2026
On Monday afternoon, the festival announced which eight luminaries will be rounding out the Competition jury.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 4 May 2026
Leavitt has been the latest Roxie Hart to grace Broadway — filling the character shoes of such luminaries as Ariana Madix, Pamela Anderson, and Melanie Griffith.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 4 May 2026
In 2000, King was honored by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and other legal luminaries for a lifetime of achievement in the federal judiciary.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 3 May 2026
Previous recipients have included Rod Alberts, Patrick Rugiero, Ernie Harwell, Matt Cullen, Emanuel Steward, Andra Rush, Paul Glantz and other luminaries.
—Carol Cain, CBS News, 1 May 2026
The music that we were inspired by at that time and looking to as luminaries never had a broad appeal.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Over several days, the AJC Headline House hosted conversations with Atlanta luminaries and leaders across business, higher education, fashion and more.
—Hugo Rojo, AJC.com, 30 Apr. 2026
ABC News, 6 May 2026
While sitting for a Reader’s Digest profile in 1988, Turner compared himself to a who’s who of historical luminaries that included Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, Mahatma Gandhi and Jesus Christ.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 6 May 2026
On Monday afternoon, the festival announced which eight luminaries will be rounding out the Competition jury.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 4 May 2026
Leavitt has been the latest Roxie Hart to grace Broadway — filling the character shoes of such luminaries as Ariana Madix, Pamela Anderson, and Melanie Griffith.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 4 May 2026
In 2000, King was honored by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and other legal luminaries for a lifetime of achievement in the federal judiciary.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 3 May 2026
Previous recipients have included Rod Alberts, Patrick Rugiero, Ernie Harwell, Matt Cullen, Emanuel Steward, Andra Rush, Paul Glantz and other luminaries.
—Carol Cain, CBS News, 1 May 2026
The music that we were inspired by at that time and looking to as luminaries never had a broad appeal.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Over several days, the AJC Headline House hosted conversations with Atlanta luminaries and leaders across business, higher education, fashion and more.
—Hugo Rojo, AJC.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for luminaries
Noun
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Related Stories Original stars of the show were in short supply, with several key cast members having passed on — including Paul Reubens, who died three years ago, and Phil Hartman and Lynne Marie Stewart, who died in 1998 and 2025, respectively.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
7 May 2026
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Here is a guide to the wellness retreats and hotels owned or co-owned by familiar names — what each property is known for and how the stars got involved.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
These mad scientists then trained a small flock of sheep to recognize four celebrities—Emma Watson, Barack Obama, Jake Gyllenhaal, and the BBC newsreader Fiona Bruce—from their pictures on the internet.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
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In addition to adult content creators, OnlyFans says those on its platform include including comedians, athletes, fashion designers, music artists and celebrities.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
To get to the bottom of things, though, the team behind the new research examined the host galaxies and environments of LFBOTs to try to pin down what the progenitors of these explosive events could really be.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
8 May 2026
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Yet the outcome of the big bang was somehow a tiny sliver more matter than antimatter—all the galaxies, dust and living things in the universe belong to this minuscule excess.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
8 May 2026
Noun
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Growing up in Southern California meant marinating in a beautifully chaotic media stew where local sports writers and radio personalities were some of our defining cultural commentators.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
8 May 2026
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It’s caused quite the stir on social media, with personalities like Clay Travis weighing in, saying First Take should have Bayless on during the NFL season.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Along my walkway and all over my neighborhood, nasturtium flowers are opening like bright orange suns, fragrant lavender is attracting buzzing bees, and rosemary bushes are beginning to brighten with baby blue flowers.—
Senior Food Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2026
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Its star-making factories, once churning out millions of suns, grind to a halt.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The meeting between the two dignitaries will won’t include a livestreamed news conference like those the president has hosted with other international figures.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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The large monetary figures Ingoglia unveiled during each news conference came from analyses conducted by the state’s Department of Governmental Efficiency team, or DOGE, which had requested budget information from and visited many municipalities across the state.—
Abigail Hasebroock,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Along its spiral arms, bright orange pockets mark areas where new star clusters are forming, carving out glowing bubbles in the surrounding material.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
10 May 2026
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Lion’s ear produce clusters of fuzzy orange flowers that give the plant its common name.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
Noun
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Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands attended Tuesday night’s Liberation Day concert in Amsterdam among several special guests and dignitaries.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
6 May 2026
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They are given the task of hosting world leaders, dignitaries, and delegates—and, as every Southerner knows, that means serving up the perfect menu.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Luminaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/luminaries. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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