SPOTLIGHTS Synonyms: 40 Similar and Opposite Words

spotlights 1 of 2

noun

plural of spotlight

as in limelights

the center of public attention reality show contestants who become addicted to the spotlight

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

back burners

spotlights

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of spotlight

as in focuses

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 spotlights

Noun

Tallinn’s Critics’ Picks strand spotlights films with a clear artistic point of view and a fresh take on storytelling, including work that wrestles with genre, cinema’s past and the social issues of the moment. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026 Additionally, a companion documentary-style film spotlights Loopwheeler’s fabric. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026 Here, The Associated Press takes the opposite approach and spotlights some thoughts from leaders who might have not captured the headlines and airtime on Saturday, the fifth day of the 2026 General Debate. — ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026 Photos published on Instagram by Darrin Dressler show spotlights turned to the sky, extending the height of the 217-foot tower. — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026 That remote displays a live feed from the drone's 1080p/30fps camera, which is assisted in dim conditions by three 300-lumen spotlights. — New Atlas, 16 Sep. 2026 The show was also horribly paced, with way too many pointless instrumental spotlights that somehow managed to come across as both showy and lethargic at the same time. — Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2026 This week's quiz spotlights swimsuit snaps and Hollywood escapes. — Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026 But if the building appears to predict a series of high-tech galleries, tricked out with holograms, audio spotlights or mixed reality rooms, the Lucas museum is surprisingly old-school. — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spotlights

Noun

With attentions fractured in modern life, Gibney hopes there is some benefit in synthesizing information into a narrative.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026
The understated drama stars Scarlett Johansson as a young, rudderless college graduate accompanying her photographer husband (Giovanni Ribisi) on a trip to Tokyo, where his attentions are diverted to a blonde starlet (Anna Faris).

— Jami Ganz, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Sep. 2026

Definition of attentions

Verb

The Republican candidate for lieutenant governor focuses on the frustration in some suburban neighborhoods about the state law that bypasses local zoning rules.

— Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
Personal legal responsibility focuses minds on safety, builds public trust and helps ensure that the race among AI leaders to come out on top doesn’t come at everyone else’s expense.

— Giorgos Tsetis, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of focuses

Verb

The exhibition highlights how trade routes connected the Arabian Gulf, East Africa, India, China, and Southeast Asia through the exchange of spices, pearls, textiles, jewelry, and religious beliefs.

— Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
However, Breslow’s absolute removal of the department highlights a more profound debate.

— Syed Ahmad, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of highlights

Verb

If an assessment identifies an imminent threat covered by the bill, evaluators must notify Commerce within 72 hours of completing their review.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
The Commission’s proposed 46% target falls short of that ambition, and of its own analysis, which identifies 50% as the economically optimal pathway to 2040.

— Sophie Dembinski, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of identifies

Verb

The label, which features a Japanese denim line, went public on the Tokyo stock exchange in 2025 at a valuation of roughly $460 million.

— Matt Alt, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
It is remodeled with stylish carpeting, a warm color pallet, and features an attractive tray ceiling with subtle trim work.

— James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of features

Browse Nearby Words

spotlighting

spotlights

spot-on

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Style

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

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Synonyms of spotlights

noun

verb

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