sunbeam

noun

Definition of sunbeamnext
as in beam

Related Words

Relevance

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 sunbeam At the American University of Beirut, your classmate could have four paws and a penchant for napping in sunbeams over taking lecture notes. — Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 12 Feb. 2026 In another tale, included in an Anglo-Norman narrative that survives in an illustrated manuscript, Jesus takes off his coat, places it upon a sunbeam and sits upon it. — Mary Dzon, The Conversation, 12 Dec. 2025 Here, love is sublime but elusive, like trying to catch a sunbeam in the palm of your hand. — Jason Lamphier, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Dec. 2025 The camera’s gaze rises to the wall behind Haemi, where a sunbeam briefly appears. — Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sunbeam
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sunbeam
  1. beam
  2. moonbeam
  3. ray
Noun
  • By changing its flight attitude, the platform could redirect the radar beam toward different sectors without depending entirely on a mechanically rotating antenna.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • In work that would delight any Star Wars fan, scientists have now created an antenna from a plasma beam.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of beam
Noun
  • Newsom was born and bred in a state widely associated with moonbeams, metrosexuality, and macrobiotics.
    — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
  • No moonbeam, ice cream, or taking off your blue jeans.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
Definition of moonbeam
Noun
  • Look for ingredients like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide in your sunscreen, which keep both UVB and the more dangerous UVA rays at bay.
    — Norah O'Donnell, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Factory 25 is planning a spring 2027 theatrical release followed by a digital and Blu-ray release.
    — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of ray

Browse Nearby Words

sunbaked
sunbeam
sunbeams
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sunbeam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sunbeam. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All