as in spotlight
the center of public attention
an actress who discovered that the limelight was not such a glowing experience when her privacy was invaded
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Recent Examples of limelight
The city has largely avoided the brunt of the immigration limelight somehow, with Chicago in full focus in recent days.
—
Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is returning to the international limelight as the prospective head of an authority tasked with the reconstruction of Gaza.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Trumps otherwise basked in the royal limelight on Wednesday, visibly enjoying the pomp and ceremony, which included a royal gun salute, carriage procession through Windsor and guard of honor.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2025
With the iPhone 17 launch slated for early September, the Korean company will almost certainly release new discounts for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and attempt to steal some of Apple’s limelight.
—Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for limelight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for limelight
Noun
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Plunging necklines and pleated skirts would go on to be stylish spotlights in Monroe's fashions.—
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Storrie was thrust into the international spotlight in late 2025 for his role as hockey player Ilya Rozanov in Heated Rivalry, based on the novel of the same name by Rachel Reid.—
Noun
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Microsoft is paying close to attention to the impact of its data centers on local residents.—
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Play close attention to those quotation marks.—
Cite this Entry
“Limelight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/limelight. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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