as in light
something that provides illumination
the floodlit skyscraper is one of the city's most beloved nighttime beacons
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to illumine
to supply with light
a lone lighthouse beacons the entrance to the island's only harbor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of beacon
Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 16 Apr. 2026
Costco remains a beloved American institution, described as a beacon of stability and growth in the challenging and unpredictable world of retail.
—Laura Layden, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Melissa Breyer, Treehugger, 27 Feb. 2023
In the meantime, January will beacon you into hermit mode, especially at the top of the month due to the Cancer full moon on Friday, January 6.
—Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for beacon
Noun
There also will be new traffic signals at Ann Morrison Park Boulevard and Shoreline Drive along Americana, and a new rectangular rapid flashing beacon at the entrance to the firefighter memorial entrance for pedestrian crossing along Shoreline.
—Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 16 Apr. 2026
Costco remains a beloved American institution, described as a beacon of stability and growth in the challenging and unpredictable world of retail.
—Laura Layden, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Verb
Growing underground with their luminous flowers beaconing through the soil, around 90 species of Thismia have been discovered.
—Melissa Breyer, Treehugger, 27 Feb. 2023
In the meantime, January will beacon you into hermit mode, especially at the top of the month due to the Cancer full moon on Friday, January 6.
—Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for beacon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beacon
Noun
-
The game in Italy is still haunted by Calciopoli, the crisis two decades ago that, among other things, shone an unflattering light on the power and influence behind the appointment of referees in Serie A.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The lights were turned on, and an announcement came over the speaker to immediately exit.—
Emily Longeretta,
Variety,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Fantastic, illumined by periodic excursions into surrealism, as when the crew of a mysterious UFO boards a transpacific Kahuna Airlines jet midflight.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Geraldine walked over to Felix and Jane’s for fish soup, through long autumn shadows in the park, haze rising like smoke from the grass, illumined by the low sun.—
Tessa Hadley,
New Yorker,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
These double as a lamp and add a nice sense of place.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Think of them as the ultimate IRL treasure hunt, where the payoff can be anything from a sculptural 1970s burl wood coffee table to a retro Murano glass mushroom lamp.—
Jazmine A. Ortiz,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Public rhetoric, especially when amplified through modern communications channels, can inflame rather than illuminate.—
William E. Lori,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Kaplan mines Mitford’s own writings, her family letters and photos, plus archives to detail each phase of this multifaceted life, illuminating along the way her loves, losses, loyalties and confounding contradictions.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That’s pretty phenomenal; Arden even shares credit with the lighting designer, Jen Schriever.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Expanding urbanization and the use of traditional lighting of buildings, highways and residential neighborhoods are blinding us to an eternal beauty.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Popularized by social media and wellness culture, these sellers often provide photos of candle rituals and offer customized services.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Grab a small basket or tray and fill it with things like tea, a candle, lotion, a favorite snack, a handwritten note or a scattering of flower petals.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Beacon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beacon. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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