sun

noun

ˈsən How to pronounce sun (audio)
Definition of sunnext
1
as in sunshine
the light given off by the star around which the planet Earth revolves be sure to wear sunscreen if you plan to spend more than a few minutes in the sun

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in star
a ball-shaped gaseous celestial body that shines by its own light the incomprehensible vastness of a universe filled with billions of suns

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3
as in sunrise
the first appearance of light in the morning or the time of its appearance I'm afraid that for this long trip we shall have to leave with the sun

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in glory
public acknowledgment or admiration for an achievement Olympians basking in the sun of athletic achievement while the public still remembers them

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 sun The telescope will make its observations while about 930,000 miles from Earth, facing in a direction opposite the sun. — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026 Venus was visible gleaming star-like and brilliant above, but the impossible sun was our only focus. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026 These plants are competing for sun, nutrients, water and especially pollination in this harsh environment of limited but intense sunlight. — ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026 In this case, Earth will pass between the moon and the sun, casting a reddish-orange shadow onto the moon. — Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sun
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sun
  1. sunshine
  2. star
  3. sunrise
  4. glory
  5. sunlight
  6. galaxy
  7. day
  8. applause
Noun
  • Tuesday will be another beautiful weather day in the Philadelphia region with sunshine, low humidity and highs near 82 degrees.
    — Bill Kelly, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Breezy onshore winds will keep the Delta breeze healthy for Sacramento, Modesto and the Delta region with plenty of sunshine to go around.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of sunshine
Noun
  • Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Kacey Musgraves, Jack White, every living president, Jane Fonda, and countless more have all mourned the beloved star.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The late star had also been a co-owner of Sandollar Productions alongside her former manager, Sandy Gallin, which produced Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Father of the Bride and Sabrina, among others.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of star
Noun
  • Senior students at the three high schools also got to mark the start of their final high school year with coffee and doughnuts at a senior sunrise event, said Lily Konczyk, Andrew High School Student Council co-president.
    — Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Several of our local parks are only open from sunrise to sunset (outside of special events).
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of sunrise
Noun
  • Owen Wolff, 21, was just a small child back then, watching his father play for MLS glory and represent America with the United States Men’s National Team.
    — PJ Green August 28, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
  • How an Iowa baker turned backyard raspberries into State Fair glory, with recipe.
    — Courtney Crowder, Des Moines Register, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of glory
Noun
  • The full-size prototype, installed on Hongqi’s EHS7 electric SUV, can reportedly produce up to 300 watts of power under sufficient sunlight and generate around 400 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
  • This is also important because retinol makes the skin more sensitive to sunlight, and thus more prone to burning.
    — Ellie Davis, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of sunlight
Noun
  • The observatory's mission is to investigate dark energy, study galaxy formation and discover new exoplanets.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The state of any object, from an electron to a galaxy, can be captured by such a vector, pointing in some direction through such a Hilbert space.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of galaxy
Noun
  • Instead of prioritizing style alone, consider a supportive walking sneaker designed for long days on your feet.
    — Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 1 Sep. 2026
  • That is just the day before the campaign gets underway, with London City Lionesses hosting Manchester United in the season opener on Friday at 7pm BST.
    — Leon Imber, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of day
Noun
  • One of the more surreal responses to that experience is applause, which ripples through the audience of Paranormal Activity a beat after all the major scares, like rain settling in after a peal of thunder.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Yadkin board’s moratorium decision was met by applause from the packed room.
    — Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of applause

Browse Nearby Words

sum-ups
sun
sunbaked
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on sun

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sun

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