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
Relevance
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
as in luminous
Related Words
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
James Factora, Them., 27 Oct. 2025
Jack DeJohnette, the jazz drummer, pianist, and bandleader who played on Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew and worked closely with Sonny Rollins, Keith Jarrett, and many other jazz luminaries, has died.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2025
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Oct. 2025
Her royal debut during the royal reception for the most luminary names in Balearic society on Monday evening.
—Ben Jureidini, Glamour, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for luminary
Noun
On October 20, Chan and her newlywed wife, the director Hayley Kosan, held a chic-as-hell wedding ceremony at No Bar in Manhattan’s East Village, complete with drag performances from such luminaries as West Dakota, Cherry Veronica Jaymes, and more.
—James Factora, Them., 27 Oct. 2025
Jack DeJohnette, the jazz drummer, pianist, and bandleader who played on Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew and worked closely with Sonny Rollins, Keith Jarrett, and many other jazz luminaries, has died.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Among the notable new names set to walk the halls of the ennui-addled series are Natasha Lyonne, Eli Roth, YouTube icon Trisha Paytas, True Blood star Sam Trammell, and Till luminary Danielle Deadwyler.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Oct. 2025
Her royal debut during the royal reception for the most luminary names in Balearic society on Monday evening.
—Ben Jureidini, Glamour, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for luminary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for luminary
Noun
-
But the game did end with Vanderbilt safety CJ Heard showing blitz at the line of scrimmage, then bailing out to help Jordan Matthews double Auburn star receiver Cam Coleman in the end zone.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
But the very nature of the connection between stars and their audience is now evolving, according to the IMDb report.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Korean skin care drew standing-room-only crowds, celebrity makeup artist Hung Vanngo gave his first masterclass, and in the bustling fragrance halls niche perfume houses attracted international distributors eager to understand how Arabic fragrance is reshaping global perfumery standards.—
Ritu Upadhyay,
Footwear News,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
With its luminous foliage, 'Lemon-Lime' Nandina makes a striking accent in shady plantings.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The luminous roll call has Henry Cavill leading a cast that already includes Russell Crowe, Marisa Abela, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Jeremy Irons and Djimon Hounsou, as well as Max Zhang and Drew McIntyre.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
In the early 2010s, Courtois was part of the team that discovered and described the Laniakea supercluster of galaxies to which our Milky Way belongs.—
Caroline Carlson,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
How would the tinkerer-in-chief Guardiola galaxy-brain his way around this clash of styles?—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Xi’s predecessor Jiang Zemin, who served as president between 1993 and 2003, was known for his flamboyant personality, cosmopolitan flair and willingness to show off his language skills and interact with journalists.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The body paint looks as if it were done with skin-tight leggings, while the television personality appears to be topless under the paint.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Guests can expect more than 1,000 illuminated displays showcasing wildlife, vibrant landscapes, scenic pathways and festive holiday scenery.—
Diana Leyva,
Nashville Tennessean,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Today, nine illuminated trees float on McAdenville Lake as a tribute to the originals.—
Shameika Rhymes,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Geomagnetic storms occur on Earth when charged particles from the sun reach our magnetic field and upper atmosphere.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
This was indeed something new under the bourgeois sun.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Representatives from various branches of the Armed Forces and city dignitaries are slated to attend.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Despite spending heavily to restore the mansion, Bloomberg chose to live in his Upper East Side townhouse, emphasizing the mansion’s role as a venue for municipal events, meetings with foreign dignitaries, and public tours rather than as a personal residence.—
Nandika Chatterjee,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Luminary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/luminary. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share