1
as in illuminated
filled with much light
we approached the clearing, alight with torches, and observed a reenactment of ancient rites by Druids
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in burning
chiefly British
being on fire
the pub, one of London's oldest, was completely alight by the time firefighters arrived
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to perch
to come to rest after descending from the air
a flock of eight swans circled above, then alighted on the pond
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of alight
Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 28 Feb. 2026
The Internet was set alight with Brooklyn's innocent public display of affection weeks after the budding chef aired his family drama in a manifesto posted online.
—Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 16 Feb. 2026
New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Rebecca ends with the housekeeper (also obsessed with the dead Rebecca) setting the house alight.
—Meg Walters, Glamour, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for alight
Adjective
The infamous Cinema Rex arson attack in the city of Abadan in southwest Iran in August 1978, in which Islamic extremists barred the doors of the theater and set it alight, killing up to 470 people, is seen as a trigger for the Iranian Revolution of 1979 in which the Islamic Regime come to power.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 28 Feb. 2026
The Internet was set alight with Brooklyn's innocent public display of affection weeks after the budding chef aired his family drama in a manifesto posted online.
—Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Verb
Just as the sun prepared to sink beyond the escarpments, its rays struck every piece of the fractured glass resting on top of the window frames, alighting all of them at once, as if they were shot with electricity.
—New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Rebecca ends with the housekeeper (also obsessed with the dead Rebecca) setting the house alight.
—Meg Walters, Glamour, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for alight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alight
Adjective
-
Because a bright sky helps subdue Venus's glare, this is a good time to inspect the planet telescopically, though its gibbous disk remains rather small and approximately seven-eighths illuminated.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
18 May 2026
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Facade and interior of a pharmacy (pharmacie) with green illuminated sign, display windows and sales area visible through the windows in Paris, France, on March 19, 2026.—
Pooja Mistry,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Adjective
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Please tell me the sequel could answer the most burning question of the ’00s: How could Austin not recognize Sam in that mask?—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
13 Aug. 2025
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Cooper, 30, asked Hargitay one more burning question about the actors' on-screen alter egos: will Olivia and Elliot ever end up together?—
Victoria Edel,
People.com,
26 June 2025
Verb
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In 2024, the resort added a wellness shala, a swooping open-air pavilion designed by Mexican architects Luis Alejandro Cuesta and Javier Creuheras of Arquitectura Mixta perched on a hill overlooking the ocean and the resort below.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
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The resulting home consists of two perpendicular volumes perched atop an expansive triangular deck supported by a sculptural concrete base.—
Fred Albert,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
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The world of The White Lotus Season 4 also descended on Tetou, making the two-hour pilgrimage from their set in Saint-Tropez to Cannes on their only day off just in time for dinner.—
Clara Molot,
Vanity Fair,
17 May 2026
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Eventually, several crew members descended downward from the helicopter on ropes, retrieved the hiker and hoisted him back up.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
Adjective
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Plants must endure and thrive through soft morning light and blazing summer afternoons, through shade one moment and full sun the next.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
4 May 2026
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The plants are hardy in the South in USDA Zones 3-9, and the flowers of many blazing star species linger for a long time during the blooming season.—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Mercury enters your sign, helping your thoughts land faster, cleaner, and with more personality.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2026
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SpaceX is also competing for a NASA contract to land humans on the moon later this decade.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Ukrainian drones monitor these areas for resupply movement by small trucks, ground robots, or dismounted troops.—
Vikram Mittal,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
-
Chiles, though, did rebound with a clean beam and dismount for a 9.9500 score to get the Bruins back in it.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
One young man, his shirt off and loosely draped around his neck along with a Santa Muerte necklace, sports tattoos of a Kalashnikov rifle and a flaming skull, regarding the camera with bedroom eyes.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
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Alex Tafoya was a much easier interview, even taking off his Ghost Rider flaming skull headpiece to talk.—
Peter Larsen,
Oc Register,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Alight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alight. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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