Library / English Dictionary

SPOTLIGHT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected form: spotlit   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A lamp that produces a strong beam of light to illuminate a restricted area; used to focus attention of a stage performer

Synonyms:

spot; spotlight

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("spotlight" is a kind of...):

lamp (an artificial source of visible illumination)

Holonyms ("spotlight" is a member of...):

theater light (any of various lights used in a theater)

Derivation:

spotlight (illuminate with a spotlight, as in the theater)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A focus of public attention

Example:

when Congress investigates it brings the full glare of publicity to the agency

Synonyms:

glare; limelight; public eye; spotlight

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("spotlight" is a kind of...):

prominence (the state of being prominent: widely known or eminent)

Derivation:

spotlight (move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Illuminate with a spotlight, as in the theater

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "spotlight" is one way to...):

illume; illuminate; illumine; light; light up (make lighter or brighter)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

spotlight (a lamp that produces a strong beam of light to illuminate a restricted area; used to focus attention of a stage performer)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent

Example:

The introduction highlighted the speaker's distinguished career in linguistics

Synonyms:

foreground; highlight; play up; spotlight

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "spotlight" is one way to...):

bring out; set off (direct attention to, as if by means of contrast)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

spotlight (a focus of public attention)

Credits