1
a
often capitalized
: the luminous celestial body around which the earth and other planets revolve, from which they receive heat and light, which is composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, and which has a mean distance from earth of about 93,000,000 miles (150,000,000 kilometers), a linear diameter of 864,000 miles (1,390,000 kilometers), and a mass 332,000 times greater than earth
b
: a celestial body like the sun : star
2
: the heat or light radiated from the sun
played in the sun all day
3
: one resembling the sun (as in warmth or brilliance)
4
: the rising or setting of the sun
from sun to sun
sunned; sunning
: to expose to or as if to the rays of the sun
: to sun oneself
Sunday
Examples of sun in a Sentence
Noun
The rain has stopped and the sun is shining.
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
the warmth of the sun's rays
They dream of traveling to distant suns.
Try to keep out of the sun.
The cat lay basking in the sun.
Verb
People sunned themselves on the hillside.
Recent Examples on the Web
Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 21 Sep. 2025
Watering needs vary by climate, sun exposure, and weather, so check the soil first by sticking your finger or a chopstick in the dirt.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2025
Isaac Bickerstaff, Glamour, 8 Sep. 2025
In the mid-afternoon, the animals typically nap or sun themselves.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sun
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Noun
This rare timing means the eclipse occurs on the doorstep of the September equinox, when the sun crosses the celestial equator, marking the start of spring in the Southern Hemisphere and fall in the north.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 21 Sep. 2025
Watering needs vary by climate, sun exposure, and weather, so check the soil first by sticking your finger or a chopstick in the dirt.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2025
Verb
Just this summer, basketball star Michael Jordan and the Emirati royal family were seen sunning themselves by the Kefalonian coast aboard their respective yachts.
—Isaac Bickerstaff, Glamour, 8 Sep. 2025
In the mid-afternoon, the animals typically nap or sun themselves.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sun
Cite this Entry
“Sun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sun. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sun
1 of 2 noun1
a
: the star around which the planets revolve, from which they receive heat and light, and which has an average distance from the earth of about 93,000,000 miles (150,000,000 kilometers), a diameter of 864,000 miles (1,390,000 kilometers), and a mass 332,000 times greater than earth
b
: a star like the sun
2
: the heat or light given off by the sun : sunshine
3
: one resembling the sun usually in brilliance
4
: the rising or setting of the sun
from sun to sun
sun
2 of 2 verb
sunned; sunning
1
: to expose to or as if to the rays of the sun
2
: to sun oneself
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