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
Behind-the-scenes luminaries set to receive awards at the event include songwriter Amy Allen, producers Alissia and Roselilah, recording and mix engineers Jayda Love and Bella Blasko, the writer-producer duo Elvira Anderfjärd and Luka Kloser, and audio company co-founder Betty Bennett.
—
Chris Willman, Variety, 7 Jan. 2026
Nashville luminaries came, but Hollywood stayed home.
—Christine Ledbetter, Chicago Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
At this once-in-a-lifetime event, attendees will enjoy an elegant three-course meal on the Winspear stage with the conductors and other opera-world luminaries.
—Terry Wagner, Dallas Morning News, 2 Jan. 2026
Praise for Hurricanes Praise for the Canes this week has poured in from the dean of college coaches, several UM football luminaries and even one of the program’s recent detractors.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 2 Jan. 2026
This account is far from a dry recitation; it is filled with Hujar’s observations, honest self-assessments, and amusing dollops of gossip involving a wide circle of 1970s cultural luminaries.
—Robert Lang, Deadline, 2 Jan. 2026
Recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra and arranged with conservatory luminaries such as Caroline Shaw, Lux builds from strings, vocal choirs, and enough timpani to simulate a fracking expedition.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 11 Nov. 2025
Cameron Crowe was understandably wide-eyed and elated in the 1970s as a San Diego teenager who traveled here, there and everywhere conducting in-depth interviews with The Allman Brothers Band, Led Zeppelin, Linda Ronstadt and other music luminaries for Rolling Stone magazine.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Nov. 2025
Johnson himself made his early living in the Grub Street milieu, and other luminaries, such as Daniel Defoe, Eliza Haywood and Jonathan Swift, all wrote for the burgeoning market.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 8 Nov. 2025
Chris Willman, Variety, 7 Jan. 2026
Nashville luminaries came, but Hollywood stayed home.
—Christine Ledbetter, Chicago Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
At this once-in-a-lifetime event, attendees will enjoy an elegant three-course meal on the Winspear stage with the conductors and other opera-world luminaries.
—Terry Wagner, Dallas Morning News, 2 Jan. 2026
Praise for Hurricanes Praise for the Canes this week has poured in from the dean of college coaches, several UM football luminaries and even one of the program’s recent detractors.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 2 Jan. 2026
This account is far from a dry recitation; it is filled with Hujar’s observations, honest self-assessments, and amusing dollops of gossip involving a wide circle of 1970s cultural luminaries.
—Robert Lang, Deadline, 2 Jan. 2026
Recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra and arranged with conservatory luminaries such as Caroline Shaw, Lux builds from strings, vocal choirs, and enough timpani to simulate a fracking expedition.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 11 Nov. 2025
Cameron Crowe was understandably wide-eyed and elated in the 1970s as a San Diego teenager who traveled here, there and everywhere conducting in-depth interviews with The Allman Brothers Band, Led Zeppelin, Linda Ronstadt and other music luminaries for Rolling Stone magazine.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Nov. 2025
Johnson himself made his early living in the Grub Street milieu, and other luminaries, such as Daniel Defoe, Eliza Haywood and Jonathan Swift, all wrote for the burgeoning market.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 8 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for luminaries
Noun
-
Following her participation in the event, which reunited several of the stars of the famed 1966 Batman live-action series, Newmar won't attend any other fan conventions or expos.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Heaps is returning home while some other national team stars have gone to Europe in the past year, including defender Naomi Girma and Alyssa Thompson.—
Romi Bean,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The basics brand is known for their chic pointelle and is co-signed by Hailey Bieber, among other celebrities.—
Kaitlin Clapinski,
InStyle,
10 Jan. 2026
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One of the world's biggest globe-hopping celebrities has moved to Atlanta, and CBS News Atlanta has a sneak peek at his arrival.—
Brian Unger,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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If similar inflow patterns are found in other inactive galaxies, red geysers could become a key model for understanding how galaxies across the universe grow old, and quietly stay that way.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
-
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,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Learning the different personalities, learning how the job is impacting, recognizing when there's changes in personalities requires you to be invested in them, to be around them.—
Charlie Lapastora,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Both are confident, charismatic personalities who are comfortable espousing ideas that spark controversy, even within their own parties.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In fact, confirming these stars existed at such tremendous masses in the early universe could help explain how supermassive black holes grew to masses equivalent to that of millions of suns before the cosmos was even 1 billion years old.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
15 Dec. 2025
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Called Mickey’s Island Escapade, it’s marked by Lilly’s signature suns, palm trees, and ocean motifs, as well as playful touches like giraffes and Mickey enjoying fun times in the sunshine with his sweetheart.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
10 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Western counterparts often acknowledge them privately, even as public backlash from some European institutions and media figures ensued against Rubio’s candor.—
Daniel Ross Goodman,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The Mean Green’s best football season ever wasn’t even over before the major figures from that team left, or announced their intentions to bounce ASAP; when the season did end, moments after UNT defeated San Diego State to win the New Mexico Bowl, is when the great Denton flood began.—
Mac Engel
January 9,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Inside, the last clusters of conversation continued over champagne and the remnants of that improbable charcuterie spread.—
Rachel Marlowe,
Vanity Fair,
11 Jan. 2026
-
The advisory described clusters of poisoning cases around Monterey and the San Francisco Bay Area.—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
At the dedication ceremony, family, friends, dignitaries and residents gathered to honor Saul’s generosity.—
Norman B. Gildin,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Jan. 2026
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Michael Irvin and Ray Lewis have been the most visible Canes dignitaries patrolling the sideline this Playoff.—
David Ubben,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Luminaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/luminaries. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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