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

They’ve been seen, for example, corralling schools of rays, creating waves to push penguins from ice blocks and extracting the livers of white sharks. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 23 July 2026

In the human body, thick bones absorb the most X-rays, and appear white on the resultant image. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 23 July 2026

Niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, on the other hand, work in harmony to hydrate and boost moisture retention, and the antioxidant-rich vitamin E helps neutralize free radicals caused by UV rays. — Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 23 July 2026

Other cooperative strategies include herding mobile rays, blocking an escape path while hunting white sharks, and deliberately producing waves to bump penguins off ice floes. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 23 July 2026

Zoltan says to look for sunglasses that protect against both UVA and UVB rays. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 22 July 2026

The ingredient, which has been used in Europe and other countries for years, provides broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays. — Kaitlyn Harvey, AJC.com, 17 July 2026

On July 9, the US Federal Communications Commission approved the construction and launch of a mirror satellite that would bend our star’s illuminating rays to our will from low Earth orbit. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 15 July 2026

Fortunately for Tampa Bay, X-rays on Caminero's left hand came back negative. — Alejandro Avila, FOXNews.com, 15 July 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