beam 1 of 2

Definition of beamnext
as in ray
a narrow sharply defined line of light radiating from an object we'll need a flashlight that casts a broader beam in order to really see anything

Synonyms & Similar Words

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beam

2 of 2

verb

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of beam
Noun
The video then shows the suspect hiding inside a support beam. Tim Fang, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026 Gnarled Pequi beams, witnesses to centuries of history, run along the downstairs veranda, while wooden steps carved by Pica-pau with the moon and stars lead to the one upstairs slung with hammocks. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
Currently researchers measure properties of quantum systems by beaming either optical or microwave light at them and then collecting that light to see how its components shift. Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 21 Apr. 2026 Curtain call At their final show on Saturday, parents filled the theater at the MACC church in Davidsonville, beaming with pride. Caroline Foreback, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beam
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beam
Noun
  • The sun is setting, and its slanting golden rays make the evening feel like a vast expanse of tenderness.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
  • By producing the clearest map to date of soft X-rays, this team has further validated the phenomenon as a fascinating area of study in its own right.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • This leadership follows a congressional report showing foreign adversaries are actively influencing American academia — shining a spotlight on Indiana and Purdue University, in particular, as both a model for reform and a case study in risk.
    Joe Gebbia Sr, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
  • People throw rocks at things that shine, and life makes love look hard.
    Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Assaidi, who grinned widely as he was led out of an NYPD stationhouse on his way to court for his arraignment, did not have any prior arrests, police said.
    Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
  • As the others grinned and grimaced at their rivals’ responses, Becerra was as stone-faced as Buster Keaton.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The chickens slowly turn as glowing flames lap at their skin.
    Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
  • ServiceNow, meanwhile, is doing everything right—almost every revenue and profitability metric glowed in its latest quarterly results—and yet shares took a 14% dive as the SaaSpocalypse fears loom.
    John Kell, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • On reflection a little while later, Mikel Arteta smiled dryly.
    Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Sweeney asks in the commercial, posing in denim shorts against a blue sky backdrop, while smiling and playing with her hair.
    Shad Powers, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Read that sentence aloud and try not to laugh.
    Troy Renck, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026
  • When Daikin Park’s jumbotron showed exactly that, Chisholm could only laugh at himself.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Beam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beam. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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