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

Meanwhile, a company has developed surf booties that claim to be barb-resistant — though swimmers are urged to still tread lightly to avoid trampling the rays. — ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026

Self-tanner is simply the safest—and possibly easiest—way to get a boost of color on your skin without exposing yourself to UV rays and potential sun damage. — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 13 Aug. 2026

When the moon starts to cross in front of the sun, the star’s rays will shine around valleys on the moon’s horizon, creating glowing drops of light around the moon called Baily’s beads. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026

Recent observations of some little red dots at lower redshifts have shown the cloud of gas around the black hole begin to disintegrate, exposing the black hole and the X-rays produced by the accretion of gas onto it. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Speaking to the Guardian, Florida State University marine biologist Dean Grubbs noted that large fevers of cownose rays historically only went as far as the Chesapeake Bay, with just a few individuals observed farther north. — Sanidhya Sharma, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026

There will also be presentations throughout the day on eagles, sharks, rays and sea turtles, as well as a wildlife surprise and arts and crafts. — Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026

Just like during the total solar eclipse, spectators should plan to wear proper safety glasses – thousands of times darker than normal sunglasses – or take steps to otherwise protect their eyes from the sun's harmful rays. — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026

About 95 percent of the UV radiation reaching Earth comes in the form of UVA rays, and those rays can come through clouds and even windows. — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 6 Aug. 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