BEAM Synonyms: 65 Similar and Opposite Words

beam 1 of 2

noun

ˈbēm

Definition of beam

as in ray

a narrow sharply defined line of light radiating from an object we'll need a flashlight that casts a broader beam in order to really see anything

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beam

2 of 2

verb

as in to shine

to emit rays of light a lighthouse has beamed from this site since the 1790s

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to grin

to express an emotion (as amusement) by curving the lips upward my father beamed when I showed him my new car

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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 beam

Noun

For months before today’s launch, Google has been anticipating those problems on Earth, shaking spacecraft to simulate the launch and bombarding its chips with proton beams to test their response to radiation. — Peter Hall, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2026 These timber floor structures negate the need for downstand beams (which project below the underside of the floor slab and support it). — New Atlas, 25 Sep. 2026

Verb

Three of those satellites also beamed back imagery of Starship’s heat shield, which must remain intact to ensure the spacecraft doesn’t break apart and burn up during reentry. — Lee Billings, Scientific American, 28 Sep. 2026 To kneel at the altar of the market, to pray to the gods of the ultra-wealthy—these are not categorical values bestowed upon humanity, tenets beamed down to us from the cosmos. — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beam

Recent Examples of Synonyms for beam

Noun

Dedicated sets of muscles and cartilage power each individual ray, giving every single segment full 360-degree rotational freedom.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026
Picnic tables lined the water, filled with groups enjoying the early fall afternoon and last rays of September sun.

— ElleAnna Revell, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of ray

Verb

Both Ruto, behind the wheel, and Chivayo are seen laughing, with Chivayo's wife grinning from the back seat.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
In photos obtained by the Daily Mail, the singer could be seen smiling in the back seat of an SUV while her soccer player boyfriend of two years grinned from the front seat.

— Meg Walters, InStyle, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of grin

Verb

Acupressure targets specific points, including spots roughly a finger’s length below your pupils and beside your nose, which NuFace says can promote a glowing complexion by improving circulation.

— Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026
Frøya takes a botanical route to glow and tone instead, leaning on sea buckthorn and rosehip instead.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of glow

Verb

The musicians were smiling, the spectators tapped and clapped, and that magical sense of timelessness was real, spanning multiple generations.

— Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Machchhar, with one arm in a cast and medical dressings on his head, appears awake and smiling.

— Tom Winter, NBC news, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of smile

Cite this Entry

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“Beam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beam. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of beam

noun

verb

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