lights 1 of 3

noun

Definition of lightsnext
plural of light
1
as in glows
the steady giving off of the form of radiation that makes vision possible he read poetry to her by the light of the moon

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2
as in lamps
something that provides illumination turn off the light when you go to bed

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3
as in stars
a person who is widely known and usually much talked about a leading light in the acting profession

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4
as in sunrises
the first appearance of light in the morning or the time of its appearance with the coming of light we could see all the damage that the storm had caused

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lights

2 of 3

verb (1)

present tense third-person singular of light
1
as in burns
to set (something) on fire we lit the kindling before adding the heavier logs

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2
as in illumines
to supply with light the lights from the TV cameras will light this room as though it were high noon

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lights

3 of 3

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of light
1
as in perches
to come to rest after descending from the air the bird lit on the branch and began to sing

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2
as in descends
to come down from something (as a vehicle) he hurriedly lighted from the bus and started walking up the street

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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 lights
Noun
The officer reported looking west and at one point and seeing traffic officers with their emergency lights activated and beyond them, runners directly in Wade’s path, according to court documents. — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026 The patrol vehicle’s emergency lights and sirens were activated, and the officers tried to pull over the Nissan near 44th Street and 14th Avenue. — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 20 Oct. 2026 By the time the lights dimmed for the halftime show, Sampaio and Martin made good on their promise. — Raymond Braun, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026 Beginning in December, visitors can experience everything from a Holiday Open House, where local shops open their doors to strolling carolers, to Magic at the Mill, during which the famous DeZwaan windmill glitters with lights. — Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Oct. 2026 Her Yandex home voice assistant, equivalent to an Amazon Echo, stopped responding to requests to play music and turn off the lights. — Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026 And when the track finally resumed, the lyrics were nearly drowned out by the eruption of cheers as his silhouette was illuminated by golden lights. — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026 Since Kylie Jenner’s angel debut was meant to be kept under wraps until the moment the lights came up on her in the $50 million Fantasy Bra, the entrepreneur couldn’t very well be seen getting ready with the rest of the Angels backstage. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026 Before long there were three squad cars with lights flashing parked in the drive, with a furious Grandpa Joe trying to sort out the trouble. — Kerry Kennedy, Vanity Fair, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
Alex Consani walks into a room and lights the whole thing up. — Time, 30 Sep. 2026 Fellow junior defensive back Cody Dean echoed that sentiment, noting that the way the 5-foot-9, 170-pound Garey plays above his size lights a fire under his teammates. — Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 27 Sep. 2026 To avoid attracting kissing bugs and other nocturnal insects to your house, keep firewood and brush piles far away and turn porch lights off at night. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2026 Moments later, Andrew enters the home and lights a pipe before meeting the same fate. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026 State what lights you up, then invite feedback, because collaboration works best when your adventurous spirit meets boundaries. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 16 Sep. 2026 Romantic Venus lights your 10th House of Career while unearthing Pluto in your sign, in your 1st House of Identity, demands authenticity in every public move. — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 15 Sep. 2026 Darken your porch lights from their usual white light to black or yellow bulbs for a spooky look. — Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 14 Sep. 2026 For three years now, many have feared that Hezbollah’s war with Israel could be the spark that lights the tinderbox. — Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lights
  1. glows
  2. lamps
  3. stars
  4. sunrises
  5. burns
  6. illuminates
  7. perches
  8. descends
Noun
  • Every nightfall is different — different seasonal colors, angels, weather, celestial glows, grasses and shadows.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The coating glows when exposed to light, with the intensity changing according to the pressure around it.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of glows
Noun
  • Rather than lighting an entire room, try task lighting like reading lamps, under-the-cabinet light strips, and desk lamps that illuminate a workspace.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2026
  • In day scenes, film lights were only used where natural light fell short; at night, the team relied as much as possible on existing streetlights and lamps.
    — Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of lamps
Noun
  • Creators Drop The Pranks And Get Serious MIPCOM was a conduit for the developing creator economy this year, with the focus switching to those YouTube and digital stars who are actually building businesses.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
  • For stellar scientists, the colors of stars have always been indicative of their temperatures.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of stars
Noun
  • The unobstructed light is magical, with gorgeous sunrises, sunsets, golden hours…all of it.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Start with this warm, dusty pink that’s inspired by the softness of nature, like peaceful sunrises and delicate rose petals.
    — Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of sunrises
Verb
  • The friction causes an electrical shock that burns Clancy, and Lisa steals his keys.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The Aspen Acres Fire burns behind homes on July 3, 2026, in Rye, Colorado.
    — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of burns
Verb
  • With her clear sense of purpose and self-belief, Chase illuminates our own generative and creative capacities, inspiring and delighting in equal measure.
    — Ruth Negga, Time, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The Aries Full Moon illuminates your private 12th house, bringing an old emotion, habit, memory, or attachment closer to the surface.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of illuminates
Verb
  • At the top of the hill, in a completely different style, perches the Neoclassical royal palace.
    — Benjamin Moser, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Live streams from entertainment events like the Grammys or Golden Globes aren’t typically perches for controversy, but, says Anthony McCartney, AP’s entertainment and lifestyles editor, celebrities will sometimes be asked to weigh in on recent headlines.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 16 Mar. 2026
Definition of perches
Verb
  • The visuals are too murky even to provide a nasty thrill when a pod of orcas descends on Jay’s gargantuan host.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The sprawling network, which could date as far back as the 8th century BCE, descends roughly 280 feet, housing everything from stables and kitchens to rock-cut churches and escape tunnels.
    — Maya Chawla, Architectural Digest, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of descends

Browse Nearby Words

lightproof
lights
lightship
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Cite this Entry

“Lights.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lights. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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