1
as in star
a ball-shaped gaseous celestial body that shines by its own light
awed by the vast number of luminaries in the night sky
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in celebrity
a person who is widely known and usually much talked about
luminaries from the worlds of sports, entertainment, and politics were at the gala
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in lighted
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of luminary
Gus Alexiou, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
They’re told to read The Proletarian’s Pocketbook (a real chapbook containing inspirational quotes from such revolutionary luminaries as Karl Marx and Malcolm X) and to immediately suspect any strangers.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 3 July 2025
The winners were announced Monday night at the James Beard Foundation Awards, held at the Lyric Opera in Chicago, where the country’s best chefs, restaurateurs and other culinary luminaries gathered for the Oscars of the food industry.
—Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 June 2025
The single, featuring solos by such luminaries as Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen and Cyndi Lauper, was released on March 7, 1985, and went on to sell more than 10 million copies.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for luminary
Adjective
Just like the real-life luminaries, it is hoped that the new doll will provide comfort to children diagnosed or already living with this challenging condition as well as raise awareness amongst those without that direct experience.
—Gus Alexiou, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
They’re told to read The Proletarian’s Pocketbook (a real chapbook containing inspirational quotes from such revolutionary luminaries as Karl Marx and Malcolm X) and to immediately suspect any strangers.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 3 July 2025
The winners were announced Monday night at the James Beard Foundation Awards, held at the Lyric Opera in Chicago, where the country’s best chefs, restaurateurs and other culinary luminaries gathered for the Oscars of the food industry.
—Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 June 2025
The single, featuring solos by such luminaries as Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen and Cyndi Lauper, was released on March 7, 1985, and went on to sell more than 10 million copies.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for luminary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for luminary
Noun
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Afterward, see a star dedication and live performances by Mr. Southern Soul Bigg Robb & Friends, Regina Belle and Dottie Peoples.—
Caroline Ritzie,
The Enquirer,
24 July 2025
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But, the star of the show is a first-of-its-kind Alumni Home Run Derby following the Brewers/Marlins matchup.—
Hannah Kirby,
jsonline.com,
24 July 2025
Noun
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The series takes a group of celebrities to the Bahamas – the shark capital of the world – and tasks them with diving with a different species of shark, with the breeds getting bigger and more dangerous each time.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
14 July 2025
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Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.—
Angelina Liu,
People.com,
14 July 2025
Noun
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Observing from a dark sky location will help reveal the true glory of our galaxy, so be sure to check out a website like darksky.org to find the best spot near you.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
23 July 2025
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That may sound low, but the universe is vast, so there are lots and lots of eclipsing systems out there – hundreds of millions in our galaxy alone.—
Andrej Prša,
The Conversation,
23 July 2025
Noun
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In the initial study of over 1,200 single adults, MacDonald and his team were able to associate these different motivations with a host of personality traits: Intrinsic motivation.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
26 July 2025
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Keys also stars in a campaign spot alongside popular TikTok personalities Noah Beck, Cyrus Veyssi and Dr. Muneeb Shah.—
Hedy Phillips,
People.com,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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Made with soothing, hydrating ingredients like aloe vera and vitamin E, the sunscreen lotion has a luminous finish that gives the skin a summery, just-back-from-Bondi-beach glow.—
Jenny Berg,
Allure,
21 July 2025
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Arizona's Emerald Cave, also known as Emerald Cove, shimmers with luminous green light.—
Lorenzino Estrada,
AZCentral.com,
17 July 2025
Noun
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At the moment of reappearance, the sun will be about 11 degrees below the horizon, meaning Maia should reappear in a twilight sky.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
19 July 2025
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However, Ammonite’s orbital path is highly elliptical, getting as far from the sun as 432 au.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
Noun
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Over the past century, The Rod & Gun Club has hosted presidents, dignitaries, and celebrities like John Wayne, Burt Reynolds, and Jack Nicklaus.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
27 July 2025
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This resort has hosted global dignitaries, prolific leaders, and tastemakers alike.—
Ashlee Marie Preston,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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With its eerily formless threat, catchy theme song, wholesome teen heroes, and ingeniously practical ooze effects (a dazzling mix of in-camera and optical printing), The Blob straddles atomic-era paranoia and gooey creature-feature fun.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
29 July 2025
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Timo Andres brought a dazzling range of color and flair to Etude 11, and carved out sharp, rhythmic contours in the polyrhythmic maze of Etude 12.—
Luke Schulze,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Luminary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/luminary. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
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