SPOTLIGHT (spotlit)

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected form: spotlit

Dictionary entry overview: What does spotlight mean?

• SPOTLIGHT (noun)
The noun SPOTLIGHT has 2 senses:

1. a focus of public attention

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

Familiarity information: SPOTLIGHT used as a noun is rare.

• SPOTLIGHT (verb)
The verb SPOTLIGHT has 2 senses:

1. move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent

2. illuminate with a spotlight, as in the theater

Familiarity information: SPOTLIGHT used as a verb is rare.

Dictionary entry details

• SPOTLIGHT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A focus of public attention

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

glare; limelight; public eye; spotlight

Context example:

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

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)

Sense 2

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

spot; spotlight

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)

• SPOTLIGHT (verb)

Conjugation:

Present simple: I / you / we / they spotlight

... he / she / it spotlights

Past simple: spotlighted

Past participle: spotlighted

-ing form: spotlighting

Sense 1

Meaning:

Move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

foreground; highlight; play up; spotlight

Context example:

The introduction highlighted the speaker's distinguished career in linguistics

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)

Sense 2

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)

Context examples

It will shine a spotlight on you and give you the best opportunity of 2019 to make a bigger name for yourself in weeks and months to come.