1
as in glowing
giving off or reflecting much light
the luminous moon bathed the snow-covered fields with a pearly glow
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in outstanding
standing above others in rank, importance, or achievement
some of the most luminous writers in the nation's history have graced that magazine's pages
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3
as in unmistakable
not subject to misinterpretation or more than one interpretation
an author with a simple, luminous prose style that is free of affectation and pretention
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of luminous
Venus is also becoming increasingly impossible to miss thanks to its intense brightness, while Jupiter remains one of the most luminous objects in the evening sky.
—
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 May 2026
The gothic building, opened in 1927, was first named Hammerstein's Theatre in honor of owner Arthur Hammerstein’s father, Oscar Hammerstein I, who helped develop New York’s luminous Times Square.
—Erin Jensen, USA Today, 6 May 2026
In parts of the world, contradiction is survivable; an artist can be luminous and flawed in the same breath.
—Steven Gray, Time, 29 Apr. 2026
Taylor’s four vocal accompanists, who included his 25-year-old son, Henry, were luminous in each instance they were featured.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for luminous
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 May 2026
The gothic building, opened in 1927, was first named Hammerstein's Theatre in honor of owner Arthur Hammerstein’s father, Oscar Hammerstein I, who helped develop New York’s luminous Times Square.
—Erin Jensen, USA Today, 6 May 2026
In parts of the world, contradiction is survivable; an artist can be luminous and flawed in the same breath.
—Steven Gray, Time, 29 Apr. 2026
Taylor’s four vocal accompanists, who included his 25-year-old son, Henry, were luminous in each instance they were featured.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for luminous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for luminous
Adjective
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Neither was a glowing example of how to win in the playoffs, but the Sabres deserve full marks for sticking with it and taking over the game.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
At the mid-sized company, any inquiries to the AI agent would come back with glowing comments about the vendor.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Adjective
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But Jeffries, an outstanding student who typically went straight home from baseball practice to study, remained more of a spectator than a participant in the borough’s burgeoning hip-hop scene.—
Jason Zengerle,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen were outstanding, and Sam Merrill hit huge corner 3s in the first half to break Detroit’s spirit early.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Adjective
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This connection with Nashville’s past and future gives the patient experience a sense of character, privacy, and unmistakable identity.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
The undercurrent here is unmistakable.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Whatever political direction Democrats plan to take their party in two years at their National Convention to elect a presidential nominee, Denver offers a shining example of what a city looks like when governance goes right for many decades, led by heart and hard work.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
5 May 2026
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So naturally in a state that treats basketball like a religion and the sport’s biggest stars like royalty, nobody casts a bigger shadow in this community now than the slender 6-foot-6, 196-pound, 19-year-old freshman who changed Final Four weekend with one brilliant shining moment Sunday afternoon.—
Michael Marot,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Christopher Abbott, Jon Bernthal, Rose Byrne, Carrie Coon, Ayo Edebiri, Alden Ehrenreich, Luke Evans, Daniel Radcliffe, Laurie Metcalf and Lea Michele are just a sampling of the big-name performers nominated today for 2026 New York Drama League Awards in the distinguished performances category.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
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Helicopters and trailers arrived in large numbers, famous faces and a distinguished director settled in near grazing cattle, and the cameras started rolling.—
Marnie Hunter,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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The old gunslinger makes the most of an AFC without an obvious favorite and rides off after one last trip into the playoffs, this one coming with a postseason win.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
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Neural activation and event consolidation seem too bureaucratic, even obvious.—
Deborah Treisman,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
Adjective
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The Southern Hemisphere has its own polar lights known as the southern lights, or aurora australis, which create a dazzling display of their own.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
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Dreyer added an assist when the 19-year-old Soma scored his first career goal — a dazzling one — in his 12th appearance for a 3-0 advantage in the 54th minute.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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The Manchester United under-18s manager watched his side suffer a 2-1 defeat by Oliver Reiss’ Manchester City in the final of the prestigious youth competition, which was the first between the two clubs since 1986.—
Chris McKenna,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
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Kids who take the spot of a potential American student to attend some of America’s most prestigious colleges, and then go back home.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Luminous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/luminous. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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