rays 1 of 2

noun

plural of ray
1
as in beams
a narrow sharply defined line of light radiating from an object two red eyes reflected in the ray of light from the flashlight

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in glimmers
a very small amount the tapping sound ceased, extinguishing the last ray of hope that the trapped miners were still alive

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rays

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of ray
1
as in shines
to emit rays of light klieg lights were raying against the nighttime sky at the Hollywood premiere

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in radiates
to extend outwards from or as if from a central point laugh wrinkles rayed out from the corners of the old man's eyes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 rays
Noun
Tycho Crater is visible in the lower region of the lunar disk close to the shadow, while bright ejecta rays of reflective material brighten the darker lunar seas, where lava solidified to form basaltic plains billions of years ago. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Bookshelves were filled with actual paperwork and documents used by medical professionals, while even the hairline fractures visible on X-rays were created with the guidance of real-life practicing physicians. — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026 There are some crazy laser rays, goofy wipe transitions, robots who are menaces to society, to be sure. — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026 Gemma, who’s a new character to the series and doesn’t really know about the Further yet, works at a dentist’s office, so writer-director Jacob Chase has fun with dental implements and X-rays, as well as constant tooth imagery. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 21 Aug. 2026 Some constructions can also provide protection from ultraviolet rays. — Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 20 Aug. 2026 The images also showed bright and dark rays—like butterfly wings—stretching from the crater’s center. — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026 Despite the rays shining down over me, the display was still visible enough to cut through the glare and keep text, images, and videos easy to see. — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 19 Aug. 2026 Genuine crystal normally forms a prism of rays when held up to a light source, whereas glass lets light pass through without a colorful effect. — Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 18 Aug. 2026
Verb
Scientists have long grouped sharks together as a natural evolutionary unit, meaning every shark species shares a common ancestor that rays and skates do not. — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rays
  1. beams
  2. glimmers
  3. shines
  4. radiates
  5. splashes
  6. glows
  7. branches
  8. specks
Noun
  • That’s harder than trying to spot a firefly right next to someone flashing their high-beams at you.
    — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The antlers grew off to the sides of the deer’s head instead of going upward, which contributed to the wide inside spread and long beams.
    — Richard P. Smith, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of beams
Noun
  • There are glimmers of success in almost every advanced country, including the United States, at agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service, which has finally begun to modernize its woefully out-of-date technology.
    — Jennifer Pahlka, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
  • But take a closer look and the report actually provides glimmers of hope.
    — TerDawn DeBoe, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of glimmers
Verb
  • In Los Angeles, for example, there’s a billboard that shows an image of a smiling girl wearing Meta glasses, with her fingers placed to draw attention to the recording light that shines as brightly as her grin.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Parton’s legacy shines on in her obvious and not necessarily as obvious successors.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of shines
Verb
  • What gets prototyped there radiates into field trips, after-school programs and summer camps that reach thousands of children a year.
    — Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Bieniemy radiates discipline and accountability and, of course, carries an intimate understanding of the offense and has Reid’s trust.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of radiates
Noun
  • Built in a distinctively analog way, the rooms create the illusion of endless space through the use of light, mirrors and splashes of color.
    — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The company has built a reputation in the investment world for backing companies that have made big splashes, including Uber, Waymo and Discord.
    — Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of splashes
Verb
  • In New York City, Pete Davidson films his new movie Tommy Karate with a new look, while Savannah Guthrie glows in florals for Roger Federer’s exhibition match at the US Open.
    — Alex Apatoff, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Killarney National Park, Ireland The Emerald Isle glows in all shades of green, and few Irish destinations show off this color palette like Killarney National Park.
    — Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of glows
Verb
  • His demise, paired with the disappearance of mobster-type Nicky Caccimelio (Bobby Cannavale), sets the trio on the first phase of their adventures, which inevitably branches into fresh red herrings in customary Only Murders fashion.
    — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2025
Definition of branches
Noun
  • Calcium shows up as bright white specks on the coronary artery images.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Pulse a few times, until crumbs range in size from specks to peas.
    — Leah Eskin, Midwest Living, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of specks

Browse Nearby Words

rayless
rays
raze
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
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
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All