lodestar

noun

ˈlōd-ˌstär How to pronounce lodestar (audio)
variants also loadstar
Definition of lodestarnext
as in compass
a guiding or motivating purpose or principle a society seemingly with unbridled greed as its only lodestar

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 lodestar The country, with its fashion-savvy consumers, has become a lodestar for the industry. — Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2026 Like many other states, Washington law provides that the reasonableness of an attorney fee award should be determined by something called the lodestar method. — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 25 Mar. 2026 Over succeeding decades, both Sellars and Salonen have been Salzburg Festival lodestars. — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026 The event, which is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year, is a lodestar of the region’s burgeoning arts scene. — News Desk, Artforum, 19 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lodestar
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lodestar
  1. compass
  2. direction
Noun
  • From brand to content, quality as a compass Which still meant for Haylaz crafting quality content, based on impactful characters kids could relate to.
    — Kevin Giraud, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Can this compass take you to the Olive Garden in Times Square?
    — Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of compass
Noun
  • No other age bracket recorded a change in median net worth larger than 6% in either direction, according to Maggiulli, writing in his blog, Of Dollars and Data.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • When the plant roots encounter an area acidified by decaying plant matter—a chemical gradient distinct from that of animal matter—ABA builds up on the side facing the rot, encouraging growth in the other direction.
    — Joanna Thompson, Scientific American, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of direction

Browse Nearby Words

locutions
lodestar
lodestars
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Cite this Entry

“Lodestar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lodestar. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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