1
as in compass
a guiding or motivating purpose or principle
with an unwavering commitment to equal rights for all as his only cynosure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in center
a thing or place that is of greatest importance to an activity or interest
that company is the cynosure for anyone wishing to make it in the music business
Synonyms & Similar 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 cynosure
From these beginnings, the Voice grew into a cynosure of the counterculture.
—
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024
The film’s screenplay, co-written by Wenders and Takuma Takasaki, finds its metaphoric cynosure in the Japanese concept of komorebi, which describes the play of light and shadow through the leaves of a tree, every shimmering moment unique.
—Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Oct. 2023
Past the age of fifty, the supple cynosure of the salons turned into something of a tottering wreck.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023
MotoGP is the cynosure for those drawn to the heady blend of terror and enticement that defines the quest to go mind-numbingly fast.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 19 Apr. 2023
As their cynosure, Ernestine herself remains a cipher, full of portentous sayings but little real thought.
—Helen Shaw, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2022
The setting had all the elements of a stirring, emotional clash: an underlying sense of betrayal, accusations of soulless greed, the prospect of transformative change and a popular, beloved figure trapped in the cynosure of the firestorm.
—Bill Pennington, New York Times, 16 June 2022
The Celtic cynosure in the 100-96 triumph, Tatum logged a team-best 26 points along with 10 rebounds and 6 assists while scoring 7 vital fourth-quarter points.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 30 May 2022
While the Sackler family, which owned Purdue, attracted intense national attention and became a cynosure of criticism after the company’s introduction of its blockbuster pill OxyContin, the Mallinckrodt brand slipped under the radar.
—Washington Post, 10 May 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cynosure
Noun
-
Inside a self care mindset, taking a pause to find your own inner compass is the key to navigating the future of work.—
-
And he’s got a really good compass of what needs to happen in the moment.—
Noun
-
In both the book and the Kurosawa film, the tycoon at the center of the story’s conflict is in the shoe business.—
-
The city also offers a tourist train for five euros that runs about every hour, connecting the historic center with the two main beach areas (Platja de la Grava and Platja de l’Arenal).—
Noun
-
Navigators calculate their position by keeping track of their starting point, direction, speed and time at sea.—
-
While the 'legitimate interest' assessment is always a multi-factor test, all factors seem to point in the wrong direction for Meta.—
Noun
-
Indianapolis is better known as a Midwest motorsports mecca and basketball bastion than a city built for golf sickos.—
-
The Shoppes at Buckland Hills, which spawned the growth of a retail mecca in Manchester and neighboring South Windsor in the 1990s, rose to become the second largest taxpayer in the municipality.—
Noun
-
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, legal, or cryptocurrency advice.—
-
As new innovations take hold and produce positive results, remember to prune old practices that are no longer working or have outlived their purpose.—
Noun
-
The home is in the central part of the state about 70 miles west of Lincoln, the state capital.—
-
The fixture list added further intrigue to that race, Atalanta facing Roma on Monday evening while Juve headed to the Italian capital on Saturday evening to take on a Lazio side that was on a six-game unbeaten run.—
Noun
-
Meanwhile, 6-5 forward Falstaff Hawkins might have caused eyes to roll by his singular focus on scoring.—
-
The focus will be on who held the power in the relationship.—
Noun
-
The surrounding Granary District, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Salt Lake, was once an industrial and manufacturing hub.—
-
Indeed, ad commitments to streaming video hubs rose a noticeable 35.3%, hiking to $11.1 billion from $8.2 billion in 2023’s market.—
Cite this Entry
“Cynosure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cynosure. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share