1
as in compass
a guiding or motivating purpose or principle
with an unwavering commitment to equal rights for all as his only cynosure
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in center
a thing or place that is of greatest importance to an activity or interest
that company is the cynosure for anyone wishing to make it in the music business
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cynosure
The former played the role of cynosure for the neophytes of the new high society, the latter remaining the bastion of genteel estates and social exclusivity.
—
JSTOR Daily, 18 Oct. 2025
From these beginnings, the Voice grew into a cynosure of the counterculture.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024
The film’s screenplay, co-written by Wenders and Takuma Takasaki, finds its metaphoric cynosure in the Japanese concept of komorebi, which describes the play of light and shadow through the leaves of a tree, every shimmering moment unique.
—Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Oct. 2023
Past the age of fifty, the supple cynosure of the salons turned into something of a tottering wreck.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023
MotoGP is the cynosure for those drawn to the heady blend of terror and enticement that defines the quest to go mind-numbingly fast.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 19 Apr. 2023
The setting had all the elements of a stirring, emotional clash: an underlying sense of betrayal, accusations of soulless greed, the prospect of transformative change and a popular, beloved figure trapped in the cynosure of the firestorm.
—Bill Pennington, New York Times, 16 June 2022
The Celtic cynosure in the 100-96 triumph, Tatum logged a team-best 26 points along with 10 rebounds and 6 assists while scoring 7 vital fourth-quarter points.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 30 May 2022
As their cynosure, Ernestine herself remains a cipher, full of portentous sayings but little real thought.
—Helen Shaw, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2022
JSTOR Daily, 18 Oct. 2025
From these beginnings, the Voice grew into a cynosure of the counterculture.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024
The film’s screenplay, co-written by Wenders and Takuma Takasaki, finds its metaphoric cynosure in the Japanese concept of komorebi, which describes the play of light and shadow through the leaves of a tree, every shimmering moment unique.
—Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Oct. 2023
Past the age of fifty, the supple cynosure of the salons turned into something of a tottering wreck.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023
MotoGP is the cynosure for those drawn to the heady blend of terror and enticement that defines the quest to go mind-numbingly fast.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 19 Apr. 2023
The setting had all the elements of a stirring, emotional clash: an underlying sense of betrayal, accusations of soulless greed, the prospect of transformative change and a popular, beloved figure trapped in the cynosure of the firestorm.
—Bill Pennington, New York Times, 16 June 2022
The Celtic cynosure in the 100-96 triumph, Tatum logged a team-best 26 points along with 10 rebounds and 6 assists while scoring 7 vital fourth-quarter points.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 30 May 2022
As their cynosure, Ernestine herself remains a cipher, full of portentous sayings but little real thought.
—Helen Shaw, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cynosure
Noun
-
Friends of Rubio say his stance and the underlying goal of a free Cuba has never wavered and continue to serve as his personal and political compass.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
-
When thoughts race, breathe slowly and trust your inner compass to organize your feelings before responding.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Texas had subbed 7-foot center Matas Vokietaitis out of the game with 11 seconds left after Boilermakers big man Oscar Cluff had fouled out, giving Purdue a better opportunity in the paint.—
Janie McCauley,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The Gators now await NBA decisions from Condon, small forward Thomas Haugh and center Rueben Chinyelu, three juniors who formed one of the nation’s top frontcourts alongside with 7-foot-1 senior reserve Micah Handlogten.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Smoke could be seen rising from the direction of a major UAE energy installation on March 14, in what appeared to be the latest strike targeting the Gulf’s petroleum facilities hours after the US struck Iran’s Kharg Island.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
-
While the morning invites a slower pace and simple pleasures, the Moon opposing chatty Mercury later can pull feelings and words in different directions.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The tech mecca has slowly begun to emerge from one of the country’s deepest declines in downtown retail, in part through a program that peppered the city with subsidized pop-up shops.—
Roger Vincent,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Each January, that stillness is interrupted by the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting, transforming a quiet alpine town, Davos, into a mecca of power.—
Victoria Bousis,
Rolling Stone,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The robotic characters break free from their restaurant resting place to cause chaos in town, while the villainous Marionette pops up to possess victims for her own nefarious purposes.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Trump has not only stolen top-secret government files, apparently for business purposes but used his office to harass and investigate his political targets.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
An open-air concert in the middle of a capital city inverts all of that.—
Yook JiHun,
Popular Science,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The thousands of blooming cherry trees that adorn the nation's capital have burst into ephemeral blossoms, the arrival of which marks the unofficial beginning of Washington's tourist season.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Oftentimes, exhibits—which range in focus from a specific artist to a historical period to a thematic thread—can displace the permanent collection.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
-
March 21 – April 19 Aries, your focus sharpens around practical moves.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The New Yorker reviewed more than a dozen unclassified documents about ICE-tracking apps, many of them created by fusion centers—intelligence hubs created after 9/11 to share information about criminal and terrorist threats.—
Oriana van Praag,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cynosure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cynosure. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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