spotlight

1 of 2

noun

spot·​light ˈspät-ˌlīt How to pronounce spotlight (audio)
1
a
: a projected spot of light used to illuminate brilliantly a person, object, or group on a stage
b
: public notice or attention
held the political spotlight
2
a
: a light designed to direct a narrow intense beam of light on a small area
b
: something that illuminates brilliantly

spotlight

2 of 2

verb

spotlighted or spotlit; spotlighting

transitive verb

1
: to illuminate with a spotlight
2
: to direct attention to : highlight

Examples of spotlight in a Sentence

Noun They aimed the spotlight at the center of the stage. A spotlight moved across the stage. The actor stood in the spotlight. a baseball star who hates the spotlight They're always in the spotlight. The news article turned the spotlight on the city's financial problems. Verb She was spotlighted as she sang her solo. The news spotlighted the city's financial problems.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Analysts said the results partly reflected a weak campaign for the amendments, confusion over the proposals and a lower-than-expected voter turnout that cast a spotlight on the government’s approach. Megan Specia, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024 The four-time NBA champion is a global superstar from his basketball career, and running for office would instantly shine a different spotlight on him. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024 The recurring spotlight on the withdrawal, marked by its scenes of violence and desperation, puts Democrats in an uncomfortable election-year position. Leigh Ann Caldwell, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2024 The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024 The lease shines a spotlight on the lack of interest to date from large life science firms in the downtown market. Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Mar. 2024 Although the trial is mostly about Lynch’s 16-year reign that culminated in his 2012 firing by then-HP CEO Meg Whitman just nine months after the takeover, the proceedings will also cast a spotlight on the decay and chaos at a storied Silicon Valley company. Michael Liedtke, Fortune, 18 Mar. 2024 The frightening door plug incident, however, shined a spotlight on the years of safety concerns at the company. Chris Isidore, CNN, 10 Mar. 2024 This is not the first time Arizona's manual has had an unwelcome public spotlight. Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic, 8 Mar. 2024
Verb
The tactic helped the civil rights movement spotlight the horrors of segregation and spurred federal action. TIME, 21 Mar. 2024 Later in the show, John’s activism with the Elton John AIDS Foundation and his friendship with Ryan White, the young man who died in 1990 after contracting HIV/AIDS from a blood transfusion, was spotlighted. Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2024 Sign up for Dispatches, a newsletter that spotlights wrongdoing around the country, to receive our stories in your inbox every week. Nicole Santa Cruz, ProPublica, 19 Mar. 2024 Former Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Carolyn Warner established the foundation to combat negative stereotypes of public schools by instead spotlighting their successes. Nick Sullivan, The Arizona Republic, 19 Mar. 2024 Biden, Democrats' SOTU guests spotlight reproductive rights fight In the Twin Cities, Harris walked through the Planned Parenthood North Central States and spent time with two dozen health care workers. Molly Nagle, ABC News, 14 Mar. 2024 The day promises entertainment, kids’ activities and a variety of activities spotlighting the West Anaheim resources. Andrea Manes, Orange County Register, 14 Mar. 2024 While onstage the actress also made sure to spotlight her Yale Drama School professor, Ron Van Lieu. Anne Branigin, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024 But by and large, the folks at the Academy will be cheering a night that moved at a decent clip, ended at a reasonable hour, and featured plenty of recognizable winners while managing to spotlight some of the most beloved losers. David Sims, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spotlight.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1904, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1907, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of spotlight was in 1904

Dictionary Entries Near spotlight

Cite this Entry

“Spotlight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spotlight. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

spotlight

1 of 2 noun
spot·​light ˈspät-ˌlīt How to pronounce spotlight (audio)
1
a
: a spot of light used to light up a particular area, person, or thing (as on a stage)
b
: public notice
2
: a light designed to direct a narrow strong beam of light on a small area

spotlight

2 of 2 verb
spotlighted or spotlit; spotlighting
1
: to light up with a spotlight
2
: to bring to public attention

More from Merriam-Webster on spotlight

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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