SPOTLIGHTS Synonyms: 40 Similar and Opposite Words

spotlights 1 of 2

noun

plural of spotlight

as in limelights

the center of public attention reality show contestants who become addicted to the spotlight

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

back burners

spotlights

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of spotlight

as in focuses

Related Words

Dissimilar 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 spotlights

Noun

Here, The Associated Press takes the opposite approach and spotlights some thoughts from leaders who might have not captured the headlines and airtime on Saturday, the fifth day of the 2026 General Debate. — ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026 Photos published on Instagram by Darrin Dressler show spotlights turned to the sky, extending the height of the 217-foot tower. — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026 The final installment under the name Creativity spotlights 19 runway looks from current chief creative officer Daniel Lee and his predecessor Christopher Bailey. — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026 That remote displays a live feed from the drone's 1080p/30fps camera, which is assisted in dim conditions by three 300-lumen spotlights. — New Atlas, 16 Sep. 2026 The show was also horribly paced, with way too many pointless instrumental spotlights that somehow managed to come across as both showy and lethargic at the same time. — Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2026 This week's quiz spotlights swimsuit snaps and Hollywood escapes. — Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026 But if the building appears to predict a series of high-tech galleries, tricked out with holograms, audio spotlights or mixed reality rooms, the Lucas museum is surprisingly old-school. — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 The 102-minute presentation spotlights window washers, bankers, building security staff and first responders, who share chilling first accounts, some for the first time. — Kalia Richardson, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spotlights

Noun

The understated drama stars Scarlett Johansson as a young, rudderless college graduate accompanying her photographer husband (Giovanni Ribisi) on a trip to Tokyo, where his attentions are diverted to a blonde starlet (Anna Faris).

— Jami Ganz, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Sep. 2026
Trump’s tariffs on Canada and Mexico in 2025 and his escalating trade war with Canada this year have turned the countries’ attentions inward, onto disputes among the three partners, at precisely the moment when the threat is coming from the outside.

— Chad P. Bown, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of attentions

Verb

Peptides and stem cells are two peas in the pod of regenerative medicine, which focuses on therapies that claim to trigger the body’s natural healing mechanisms.

— Margaret Manto, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
That is what Gail Braccidiferro MacDonald set out to change with her new book, which focuses on Black abolitionists.

— Sam Calhoun, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of focuses

Verb

The Fortune Change the World list highlights the companies tackling societal and environmental issues as part of their core business function.

— Sam Forsdick, Fortune, 6 Oct. 2026
The village's pedestrian-only strip weaves through small shops, restaurants, and boutiques, and there's a Naval Museum housed in a 19th-century captain’s mansion that highlights the island’s maritime history—and is worth a visit.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of highlights

Verb

On iPhone, Apple says the Passwords app automatically identifies common weaknesses, including passwords that are easy to guess or used multiple times.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Economic theory identifies clear reasons to expect pressure toward centralization.

— Joao Gomes, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of identifies

Verb

The official competition program features 10 films, including from such international filmmakers as Hirokazu Kore-eda, Sergei Loznitsa, Lili Horvát and May el-Toukhy, as well as the world premiere of Carol Morley’s (Dreams of a Life) new feature.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
Shot on location across Saudi Arabia, the movie’s ensemble cast features Adwa Bader, Basil Alsole, Mohammed Ali, Shojaat Nashat, and Aziz Gharbawi.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of features

Browse Nearby Words

spotlighting

spotlights

spot-on

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Style

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

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Synonyms of spotlights

noun

verb

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