Synonyms of rays

rays 1 of 2

noun

plural of ray

1

as in beams

a narrow sharply defined line of light radiating from an object

two red eyes reflected in the ray of light from the flashlight

Synonyms & Similar Words

• beams
• shafts
• sunbeams
• lasers
• moonbeams
• spotlights
• sunbursts

2

as in glimmers

a very small amount

the tapping sound ceased, extinguishing the last ray of hope that the trapped miners were still alive

Synonyms & Similar Words

• glimmers
• splashes
• specks
• sprinklings
• touches
• hints
• little
• bits
• particles
• shadows
• licks
• sparks
• shades
• traces
• streaks
• dabs
• flecks
• slivers
• bites
• spatters
• spots
• handfuls
• nips
• ounces
• driblets
• mites
• smells
• peanuts
• crumbs
• drams
• shreds
• suspicions
• smacks
• molecules
• soupçons
• strains
• scruples
• aces
• drops
• atoms
• dashes
• snaps
• scintillas
• smidgens
• parts
• skoshes
• grains
• dots
• motes
• pinches
• drops in the bucket
• patches
• doses
• fragments
• syllables
• portions
• granules
• nibbles
• tastes
• minima
• vestiges
• iotas
• sections
• splinters
• minims
• semblances
• morsels
• scraps
• scatterings
• shards
• nubbins
• whits
• chips
• jots
• shivers
• flyspecks
• flakes
• modicums
• smatterings
• hoots
• tittles
• shavings
• smatters
• clippings
• shots
• smithereens
• parings
• tatters

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• masses
• quantities
• mountains
• loads
• bundles
• piles
• barrels
• bushels
• deals
• abundances
• lots
• buckets
• rafts
• stacks
• heaps
• reams
• pecks
• gobs
• scads
• oodles
• wads
• volumes
• boatloads
• fistfuls
• wealths
• messes
• lashings
• profusions
• much
• excesses
• potfuls
• surpluses
• plenties
• passels
• slabs
• overflows
• embarrassments
• superfluities
• bonanzas
• chunks
• overages
• overmuch
• lumps
• hunks
• overabundances
• surfeits
• oversupplies
• overkills
• superabundances

rays

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of ray

1

as in shines

to emit rays of light

klieg lights were raying against the nighttime sky at the Hollywood premiere

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shines
• beams
• glows
• flashes
• radiates
• gleams
• flares
• flickers
• flames
• glimmers
• shimmers
• glitters
• illumines
• burns
• glints
• glistens
• sparkles
• lights
• twinkles
• glares
• blazes
• beats (down)
• fires
• irradiates
• sheens
• spangles
• illuminates
• luminesces
• blinds
• glisters
• scintillates
• winks
• brightens
• lusters
• lightens
• winkles
• blinks
• coruscates
• dazzles
• dazes
• bedazzles

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• darkens
• lowers
• blackens

2

as in radiates

to extend outwards from or as if from a central point

laugh wrinkles rayed out from the corners of the old man's eyes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• radiates
• branches
• emanates
• flows
• stems
• diverges
• fans (out)
• derives
• diffuses
• proceeds
• splits
• dissipates
• spreads
• disperses
• scatters
• arises
• parts
• springs
• dispels
• divides
• unyokes
• separates
• forks
• ramifies
• issues
• splays
• unlinks
• uncouples

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• focuses
• meets
• approaches
• concentrates
• converges
• funnels
• centers (on)
• couples
• links
• nears
• connects
• joins
• closes in (on)
• unites
• centralizes

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of rays

Noun

For one, operating data centers in space would require massive solar arrays to capture the sun’s rays and turn it into energy. — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026

Astronomers investigating mysterious flashes of X-rays believe that these blasts could stem from collisions between neutron stars, the events that forge elements like gold, silver, and platinum. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 9 Oct. 2026

There’s the brutal heat; the skin destroying UV-rays of that miserable, scorching, eye-blinding sun; the constant allergy/sinusitis issues that NEVER let up; the smothering humidity. — R. Eric Thomas, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026

Persistently bleak under the rays of the California sun, Artificial (now under the aegis of Anora studio Neon) is the movie of the moment — the origin story of our current AI quagmire at the literal, psychological and pretty much every other level. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026

With methane—a potent greenhouse gas—ousted from the atmosphere, and the creation of the UV-protective ozone layer (which still shields us from the sun’s rays today), the Earth began to cool and experienced one of its earliest ice ages. — Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026

Physicists have found a solution in muons, which are heavy subatomic particles created using powerful lasers that can easily pass through dense materials that stop X-rays in their tracks. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026

These rays can damage the delicate electronics on satellites. — Andrea Richard, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2026

The failure was bad news for scientists who rely on data from Swift, which has unique capabilities combining sensitivity to gamma rays, X-rays, and visible light with the agility to quickly turn toward astronomical targets. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 1 Oct. 2026

Verb

Scientists have long grouped sharks together as a natural evolutionary unit, meaning every shark species shares a common ancestor that rays and skates do not. — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026