searchlight

noun

search·​light ˈsərch-ˌlīt How to pronounce searchlight (audio)
: an apparatus for projecting a powerful beam of light
also : a beam of light projected by it

Examples of searchlight in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Second, there are the dual searchlight-like rays emerging from both sides of this nebula. — Big Think, 11 Feb. 2026 That’s why submarine searchlights and deep-sea cameras also favor blue. — IEEE Spectrum, 18 Dec. 2025 Kim Il-hyeok turned on a searchlight, and a South Korean Navy ship glided towards them. — Mike Valerio, CNN Money, 19 Apr. 2026 The city’s signature palm trees stand tall, while Easter eggs like the sweeping searchlights of a Hollywood premiere reveal themselves on a second glance. — Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for searchlight

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of searchlight was in 1883

Rhymes for searchlight

See All Rhymes for searchlight

Browse Nearby Words

searchless
searchlight
searchlight lantern
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Searchlight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/searchlight. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

searchlight

noun
search·​light ˈsərch-ˌlīt How to pronounce searchlight (audio)
: a device for casting a beam of light
also : a beam of light cast by it

More from Merriam-Webster on searchlight

Nglish: Translation of searchlight for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about searchlight

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