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

The Moon’s south pole harbors substantial quantities of water ice concentrated on the floors of craters away from the reach of sublimating rays of sunlight. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2026

Quinn said after the game X-rays on Daniels’ elbow did not show a fracture. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Sep. 2026

There was no decision yet on whether Bregman, who was going for X-rays and CT scans, would travel with the team back to Chicago following its 9-1 win. — ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026

Comfort, breathability, and packability are just a few of the boxes checked by this bamboo-viscose hoodie that blocks 95 percent of the sun’s UV rays (and comes in women’s sizes). — Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 17 Sep. 2026

Alternating planks of darkness and light, made even more stark by the crisp and unobstructed rays of sun. — Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026

Standard galactic black holes are ringed by a thick doughnut of gas and dust, which can block most X-rays. — Quanta Magazine, 14 Sep. 2026

Then there’s the sun, which has powerful UV rays that can fade everything from your drapes down to your hardwood floors. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2026

Using the sensors, the team measured X-rays from uranium, plutonium and neptunium in energy ranges that overlap with gamma-ray emissions. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 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