as in balls
a more or less round body or mass
out of the countless celestial orbs twirling in space, the planet Earth remains the only one we can call home, so perhaps we should take care of it
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Recent Examples of orbs
Even the baby's bedroom got a birthday makeover; a final slide included in a roundup of party photos shows silver balloons spelling out her name and more pink, orange and white orbs floating up to the ceiling.
—
Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 28 Nov. 2025
Instead of stacks of money or safety deposit boxes, there are cameras, lights and screens fastened together to create two giant orbs.
—ABC News, 3 Nov. 2025
These states’ extensive coastlines may explain part of the clustering, but the types of objects described—ranging from glowing orbs to submerged shapes that move at high speed—suggest something far more unusual.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Sometimes performers and crew on tours will capture mysterious orbs and abnormalities in pictures.
—Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 8 Oct. 2025
Standout elements of her attire included her peekaboo bra layering element and a pair of statement metallic silver drop earrings with pierced orbs.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2025
Areas marked in red will not have orbs hidden, nor will orbs be placed in waterways or mowed areas, according to the release.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
Wenyu turned and handed Lian Doraemon, his eyes two perfect black-and-white orbs peering out at her.
—Literary Hub, 1 July 2025
Lewis abandoned the idea to put clear orbs in the sockets early on, but debate about the eyes continued after Lithgow complained that the doll’s line of sight didn’t have a focus.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Mar. 2025
Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 28 Nov. 2025
Instead of stacks of money or safety deposit boxes, there are cameras, lights and screens fastened together to create two giant orbs.
—ABC News, 3 Nov. 2025
These states’ extensive coastlines may explain part of the clustering, but the types of objects described—ranging from glowing orbs to submerged shapes that move at high speed—suggest something far more unusual.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Sometimes performers and crew on tours will capture mysterious orbs and abnormalities in pictures.
—Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 8 Oct. 2025
Standout elements of her attire included her peekaboo bra layering element and a pair of statement metallic silver drop earrings with pierced orbs.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2025
Areas marked in red will not have orbs hidden, nor will orbs be placed in waterways or mowed areas, according to the release.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
Wenyu turned and handed Lian Doraemon, his eyes two perfect black-and-white orbs peering out at her.
—Literary Hub, 1 July 2025
Lewis abandoned the idea to put clear orbs in the sockets early on, but debate about the eyes continued after Lithgow complained that the doll’s line of sight didn’t have a focus.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for orbs
Noun
-
After dough has rested, roll into balls and arrange on baking sheet.—
Heather Riske,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The Patriots will meet strength with strength in this area, after Maye completed the second-most deep balls in the NFL and finished as the league’s best deep thrower by passer rating.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
At the center, students can explore maps and globes, including modern ones and some that date back hundreds of years, sourced from around the world.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
9 Dec. 2025
-
Jellyfish paperweight $33 Shop Now Snow globes that stay put are paperweights.—
Patricia Marx,
New Yorker,
22 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Where would the boundaries of such spheres fall in the Arctic or Pacific, for example?—
Comfort Ero,
Time,
9 Jan. 2026
-
In recent years, AgroPlay has ventured beyond the world of music and into the spheres of sports and influencer management.—
Carolina Abbott Galvão,
The Dial,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Orbs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/orbs. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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