limelight

1 of 2

noun

lime·​light ˈlīm-ˌlīt How to pronounce limelight (audio)
1
a
: a stage lighting instrument producing illumination by means of an oxyhydrogen flame directed on a cylinder of lime and usually equipped with a lens to concentrate the light in a beam
b
: the white light produced by such an instrument
c
British : spotlight
2
: the center of public attention

limelight

2 of 2

verb

limelighted; limelighting; limelights

transitive verb

: to center attention on : spotlight

Examples of limelight in a Sentence

Noun an actress who discovered that the limelight was not such a glowing experience when her privacy was invaded
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
This question of how to situate our time in the narrative arc of Earth history has thrust the rarefied world of geological timekeepers into an unfamiliar limelight. Raymond Zhong, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024 Nita Ambani first stepped into the business limelight 10 years ago, becoming the first woman director on the board of Reliance Industries. Diksha Madhok, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024 But Mulkey restocked the roster with high-profile transfers and recruits who continue to evolve and get used to not only playing together, but also performing in the LSU limelight. Brett Martel, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2024 Rams Hernández: Rams-Lions playoff matchup puts Sean McVay-Jared Goff drama back in limelight Jan. 8, 2024 Even on the road, is Matthew Stafford and his receiver corps a better group than Jared Goff and his corps? Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2024 At the Pentagon, staffers often share the meme of Homer Simpson backing into a hedge and disappearing from view to characterize their boss’s aversion to any limelight. Helene Cooper, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2024 Monk’s satirical exercise thrusts Stagg into the literary limelight as the industry lavishes praise on the book’s gritty rendering of an ostensibly authentic Black experience. Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2024 Monday’s anniversary of the first sales marks a decade since the state inaugurated its new recreational marijuana industry and stepped into the international limelight as a sometimes-reluctant trailblazer. John Aguilar, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2024 Find it on Amazon A Jumpsuit That Adds Variety to Any Wardrobe Step into the fashion limelight with the Jumpsuit trend that’s been setting TikTok on fire, and this particular one has stolen the spotlight. Poppy Morgan, Rolling Stone, 27 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'limelight.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1909, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of limelight was in 1826

Dictionary Entries Near limelight

Cite this Entry

“Limelight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/limelight. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

limelight

noun
lime·​light
ˈlīm-ˌlīt
: the center of public attention

More from Merriam-Webster on limelight

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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