luminary 1 of 2

noun

ˈlü-mə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce luminary (audio)
Definition of luminarynext
1
as in star
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 celebrity
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

luminary

2 of 2

adjective

as in luminous

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of luminary
Noun
The documentary Once Upon a Time in Harlem plops viewers into the middle of a salon full of luminaries. — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026 Cage, of course, is not the first Hollywood luminary to take a shot at the blockbuster superhero franchise or comic-book superhero movies in general. — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Adjective
All three bars take their places alongside other luminary bars in the Bay Area, Southern California, Seattle, Denver, Phoenix and Maui. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 9 Apr. 2026 A lot of neighborhoods have luminary traditions that involve lining DIY paper lanterns along the streets and pathways. — Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 11 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for luminary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for luminary
  1. star
  2. celebrity
  3. luminous
  4. galaxy
  5. personality
  6. illuminated
  7. sun
  8. dignitary
Noun
  • Of late, Holloway’s inspirations have included figures from history, music stars, actors and socialites such as the Duke of Windsor, Bryan Ferry and Charlie Watts.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • George Pullar stars, co-writes with Taylor Danworth and produces with Michael Lawrence, John Molloy and Suzanne Walker.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of star
Noun
  • The power and presumptive veracity of celebrity statements and/or accusations; 2.
    — Janelle Ash , Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Here's how style experts and celebrities style the brown boots trend for fall, starting with timeless pairings and making our way up to trickier combos.
    — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of celebrity
Adjective
  • Healing Turmeric brings a luminous yellow-orange to the group.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The lightweight, slightly milky formula sank into my skin quickly without feeling sticky or heavy, leaving behind a luminous finish that made my complexion look fresher almost immediately.
    — Lucy Partington, Glamour, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of luminous
Noun
  • The Nobel committee said his work was instrumental to the construction of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica, which glimpsed the first high-energy neutrinos from faraway galaxies.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Instead of projecting random stars, the Pococo Galaxy Projector uses projection discs to fill the room with gorgeous, sharp images of planets, galaxies and much more.
    — Chris McMullen, Space.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of galaxy
Noun
  • There’s the menagerie of found object ephemera that provides a sense of intimacy and personality (look for the wild bit of art hanging in the spa entrance).
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Piane’s compositions provided a foundation for contestants to showcase their personalities, give memorable performances and embrace the camp and theatricality that became hallmarks of the franchise.
    — Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of personality
Adjective
  • Some beauty tools signal their operation through illuminated controls, screens or vibration.
    — Advertorial, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • It is displayed on a large-scale illuminated sign during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, on March 4, 2026.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of illuminated
Noun
  • The collection is organized around sun, sea and earth elements and was developed with perfumers Yann Vasnier, Christine Hassan, Rodrigo Flores-Roux, Caroline Sabas and Shyamala Maisondieu at Givaudan.
    — Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Deafheaven broke the mold by introducing blinding light to rock music’s darkest corner, but after wave upon wave of imitators, the only subversion left is to blot out the sun.
    — Patrick Lyons, Pitchfork, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of sun
Noun
  • By the late 1800s, the resort was a favorite destination for US Presidents (23 presidents have visited the property), foreign dignitaries and global business leaders.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The pop-up was up for three days to coincide with United Nations general assembly meeting, which saw the convergence of world leaders, dignitaries and CEOs on the city.
    — Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of dignitary

Browse Nearby Words

luminaries
luminary
luminesce
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Cite this Entry

“Luminary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/luminary. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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