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
At times, he’s been joined by Democratic Socialists of America luminaries such as Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez.
—
Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
To set the exam, 11 mathematical luminaries—including one Fields Medal winner—contributed math problems that had arisen in their research.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 9 Feb. 2026
Speakers and other luminaries in attendance included San Diego County Supervisors Paloma Aguirre and Monica Montgomery Steppe, former state comptroller and California governor candidate Betty Yee, San Francisco Bay Area Assemblymember Mia Bonta, and many others.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026
Carey will perform alongside several Italian music luminaries.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Feb. 2026
While the 2028 Summer Olympics ceremony in Los Angeles will no doubt be packed with Hollywood stars, Italy’s global luminaries emanate from the fashion world.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 5 Feb. 2026
Landmarks like Hôtel Belles Rives in Côte d'Azur and New York City’s Hotel Chelsea have welcomed luminaries over the ages.
—Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2026
Scotland produced luminaries like David Hume, Adam Smith, James Watt, James Hutton, and Joseph Black.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
Some luminaries were in attendance for Arizona State — James Harden, Cam Skattebo, Jordyn Tyson, Kenny Dillingham — and the home team shot a respectable 42 percent from the field and 33 percent from deep.
—Brendan Marks, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
To set the exam, 11 mathematical luminaries—including one Fields Medal winner—contributed math problems that had arisen in their research.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 9 Feb. 2026
Speakers and other luminaries in attendance included San Diego County Supervisors Paloma Aguirre and Monica Montgomery Steppe, former state comptroller and California governor candidate Betty Yee, San Francisco Bay Area Assemblymember Mia Bonta, and many others.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026
Carey will perform alongside several Italian music luminaries.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Feb. 2026
While the 2028 Summer Olympics ceremony in Los Angeles will no doubt be packed with Hollywood stars, Italy’s global luminaries emanate from the fashion world.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 5 Feb. 2026
Landmarks like Hôtel Belles Rives in Côte d'Azur and New York City’s Hotel Chelsea have welcomed luminaries over the ages.
—Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2026
Scotland produced luminaries like David Hume, Adam Smith, James Watt, James Hutton, and Joseph Black.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
Some luminaries were in attendance for Arizona State — James Harden, Cam Skattebo, Jordyn Tyson, Kenny Dillingham — and the home team shot a respectable 42 percent from the field and 33 percent from deep.
—Brendan Marks, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for luminaries
Noun
-
It is anticipated that this is how the final stars, or the last sustained sources of light and energy, will arise in the Universe.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Buyers are really looking for a big, broad comedy with stars.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Villa Maçakızı, popular with A-list celebrities, is one of the best established.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Larkin is soaking in every moment of this Olympic experience, from sightseeing in Milan to life in the Olympic Village to meeting celebrities such as Snoop Dogg.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The galaxies that are so familiar and ubiquitous in our Universe today will die, at least in a sense, as well.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Grillmair’s work had focused on uncovering the structure of the Milky Way, identifying faint stellar streams and substructures that make up the galactic halo surrounding our spiral galaxy, and helping reshape our understanding of how galaxies evolve, according to his website.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
As a result, the final lineup is a mix of personalities, skillsets, and nationalities.—
Rebecca Cairns,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
-
But the challenges in coming up with a proposal that voters will support go beyond personalities.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The 100-light-year-wide expanse of the Rosette Nebula is estimated to have a staggering mass the equivalent to 10,000 suns and has been sculpted and eroded by the radiation from nearby stars.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The bright star is so large that more than 400 million suns could fit inside of it.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The committee’s creation is the latest call for transparency and further investigation in the aftermath of the Justice Department’s release of a trove of Epstein files, which has sent shockwaves through several industries after revelations about the late financier’s ties to prominent figures.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
-
One of China’s most influential cultural figures, Wang is not simply a celebrity endorsement but occupies a rare position at the intersection of youth identity, entertainment, and fashion authority.—
Yiling Pan,
Vogue,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Best of all is the installation-style curation, with paintings surrounded by clusters of artifacts from the same period.—
Clodagh Kinsella,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Sweet alyssum has clusters of flowers with a honey fragrance, and pollinators adore it.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Countless Irish dignitaries have visited Chicago over the years to engage with the city’s business, civic and political leaders, as well as to experience the iconic turning of the Chicago River green each March.—
Brian Cahalane,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
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Foreign dignitaries and diplomats attended the ceremony Tuesday.—
Julhas Alam,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Luminaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/luminaries. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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