lit 1 of 4

adjective (1)

variants or lighted
Definition of litnext
1
as in illuminated
filled with much light the coat room was just lit well enough for us to identify our jackets

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2
as in burning
being on fire some lighted torches lined the path to the shrine

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lit

2 of 4

adjective (2)

as in drunk
being under the influence of alcohol Raucous singing could be heard coming from tents full of lit Oktoberfest revelers.

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lit

3 of 4

verb (1)

variants or lighted
past tense of light
1
as in burned
to set (something) on fire we lit the kindling before adding the heavier logs

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2
as in illumined
to supply with light the lights from the TV cameras will light this room as though it were high noon

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lit

4 of 4

verb (2)

variants or lighted
past tense of light
1
as in perched
to come to rest after descending from the air the bird lit on the branch and began to sing

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2
as in descended
to come down from something (as a vehicle) he hurriedly lighted from the bus and started walking up the street

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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 lit
Verb
On stage, the audience is the camera, peering into a cutaway of set designer Fly Davis’ ominous, two-story house, lit with foreboding foreshadowing by Anna Watson. — Frank Rizzo, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 Overnight, the foundation became a staple among makeup artists and beauty lovers worldwide, thanks to its second-skin finish and lit-from-within glow. — Beth Sobol, Flow Space, 26 Aug. 2026 The 1900 building, in the campus’ northwestern corner, is one of its jewels — a vaulted room hung with candelabras lit for the campus opening in gold and blue, the school colors. — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 26 Aug. 2026 Both the Empire State Building and the One Times Square New Year’s Eve dropping ball were lit with pink lights in Parton’s memory. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026 And though Nvidia has lobbied hard to overturn them, the rules have lit a fire under Chinese efforts to develop domestic alternatives. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 24 Aug. 2026 People sip rich hot cocoa and stroll from shop to shop, waving hello to friends and strangers alike as the Christmas tree is lit with bright lights in downtown Parkville. — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 24 Aug. 2026 As police followed the vehicles, both drivers turned onto Reamy Drive, a narrow and dimly lit dead-end street. — Kendra Mann, Baltimore Sun, 24 Aug. 2026 Pause until the fire is lit, and the kettle in the kitchen has long since clicked off. — Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lit
  1. illuminated
  2. burning
  3. drunk
  4. burned
  5. illumined
  6. perched
  7. descended
  8. light
Adjective
  • Bakos said the overall effect of the mirrors would depend on the reflectiveness of the illuminated surface and the cloudiness of the sky.
    — Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The energy was later brought back up, getting fans back on their feet, when Karol G and her dancers started making their way to the illuminated stone pool on the B-stage.
    — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of illuminated
Adjective
  • Prosecutors said some of the money was used for recruiting new members and purchasing Ku Klux Klan robes and materials for cross-burning ceremonies.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 July 2026
  • In the case of the cross-burning incident, there is no comparison to the Jussie Smollett case.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026
Definition of burning
Adjective
  • Eurotrash from Frauke Finsterwalder will have its world premiere in Zurich, the festival confirmed Monday, following a writer called Philipp who embarks with his terminally ill and hopelessly drunk mother, Helene, on a road trip through Switzerland.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026
  • This was the context for Justice Brewer’s remarks about Philip sober restraining Philip drunk.
    — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of drunk
Verb
  • Byblow says earth tones will be major this season — think rusty red, forest green, burnt orange, and chocolate brown.
    — Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 30 Aug. 2026
  • But full blocks of houses along roads leading into the forest burned to the ground.
    — Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of burned
Verb
  • Fantastic, illumined by periodic excursions into surrealism, as when the crew of a mysterious UFO boards a transpacific Kahuna Airlines jet midflight.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
Definition of illumined
Verb
  • And when the sun starts its nightly descent, grab an aperitivo at Terrazza Campari, perched just above the resort’s pristine sandy cove and crystal-blue waters.
    — Stephanie Orma, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Emirates’ massive suite, which is perched over the center of Ashe, is being remodeled this year to emulate the spacious lounges and curved bar on its double-decker Airbus 380 planes.
    — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of perched
Verb
  • Not long afterward, two dozen Border Patrol agents descended on Roosevelt High School as class was getting out, prompting a confrontation in which the agents deployed pepper spray and arrested four people, including a teacher.
    — Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • This year, more than 4,200 shows descended on Edinburgh, with artists hailing from 74 countries.
    — Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of descended
Adjective
  • Thickness, though, is not always an option—optical films have to stay clear, protective layers on aircraft have to stay light and flexible, and the barriers on outdoor electronics are thin by design.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026
  • With a light, silky texture, the brand’s body balm combines the hydrating properties of a body lotion with the anti-aging effects of a potent serum.
    — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of light

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lit
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Cite this Entry

“Lit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lit. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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