floodlight
Americannoun
-
an artificial light so directed or diffused as to give a comparatively uniform illumination over a rather large given area.
-
a lamp or projector that produces such a light.
verb (used with object)
-
floodlights,
present (3rd person singular)
-
floodlit,
past participle, past
-
floodlighted,
past participle, past
-
floodlighting
present participle
noun
-
a broad intense beam of artificial light, esp as used in the theatre or to illuminate the exterior of buildings
-
the lamp or source producing such light
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
floodlightsimple
-
floodlightssimple
-
have floodlightedperfect
-
have floodlitperfect
-
has floodlightedperfect
-
has floodlitperfect
-
am floodlightingprogressive
-
are floodlightingprogressive
-
is floodlightingprogressive
-
have been floodlightingperfect progressive
-
has been floodlightingperfect progressive
Past
-
floodlightedsimple
-
floodlitsimple
-
had floodlightedperfect
-
had floodlitperfect
-
was floodlightingprogressive
-
were floodlightingprogressive
-
had been floodlightingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of floodlight
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Janke, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Phoenix division, said that there were details about an Apple Watch and a floodlight, but declined to go into specifics.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 6, 2026
The task has been compared to photographing a thin cloud of cigarette smoke beside a blinding stadium floodlight from several kilometers away.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 6, 2025
While climbing, he touched a floodlight which delivered the shock, an inquest previously heard.
From BBC ● Nov. 18, 2025
“As part of these efforts, the earlier kickoff time will enable the club to discern whether significant savings can be made on floodlight usage and other energy costs.”
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 23, 2022
Julie stood cowering, white as paper in the harsh glare of the floodlight, staring straight ahead of her at nothing.
From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein
The birds, in turn, are accustomed to floodlights for the "penguin parade" tourist attraction, as well as being periodically handled by veterinarian scientists for monitoring of their health.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
The damp conditions under the floodlights exacerbated the difficulty of batting on a surface that has been uneven for most of this match.
From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026
That night floodlights illuminated Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament for the first time since 1939.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026
Interestingly, Prem Rugby revealed last week that the power of floodlights would be one of the criteria that clubs need to meet on a more extensive checklist for the league's franchise-style future.
From BBC ● Mar. 30, 2026
There were two floodlights illuminating his garden, and lights were on in the front windows of the house, though not in the study.
From "The Subtle Knife" by Philip Pullman
Floodlighting is impracticable: reflection from floodlighted water confuses the pilot, gives him no clear perception of the surface.
From Time Magazine Archive
Last week they were on view in the floodlighted garden of Manhattan's Museum of Modern Art.
From Time Magazine Archive
In the bare, floodlighted studio, he seemed a little lost without an audience, speaking more slowly, peering at his manuscript, pausing often to gulp at the glass of mineral water at his side.
From Time Magazine Archive
Navigator Bruce Kulka unbuckled his seat and shoulder harnesses, scooted up from his seat in the nose to the crawlway, opened a hatch and squeezed into the floodlighted bomb bay.
From Time Magazine Archive
Really, it's nothing but damp, warm air, blown up from the exhaust of the city's main ventilation plant, condensing and freezing as it hits the cold air outside, and floodlighted from below.
From Four-Day Planet by H. Beam Piper
"At least in the car park, I knew that there was CCTV, it was floodlit, and they had security, and that was a bonus."
From BBC ● Mar. 1, 2026
But in a competition littered with crashes, Choi produced a stunning performance under intense pressure as the snow swirled down on the floodlit venue.
From Barron's ● Feb. 12, 2026
Beijing 2022 bronze medallist Murase, 21, led the 12-strong field after the first run at the floodlit Livigno Snow Park, with a score of 89.75.
From Barron's ● Feb. 9, 2026
Australia's only defeat in 14 floodlit Tests came at the Gabba, a shock loss to West Indies in 2024.
From BBC ● Dec. 2, 2025
The doors faced out on a barren, floodlit terrace—black cinder, privet in concrete urns, a statue artfully broken in white pieces on the ground.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
But more than 25 years later two brothers, William and Hugh MacDonald, paid for floodlighting to be installed for a second time at the Telford Street ground.
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2023
Measures range from tweaking office temperature levels and reducing night-time floodlighting of public buildings to telling people to take shorter and colder showers, or forego neckties to stay cooler.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 7, 2022
British Home Secretary Theresa May and French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve visited the tunnel Thursday and announced plans for a “substantial” increase in security guards, higher fences, surveillance cameras, floodlighting and infrared detection technology.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 20, 2015
But Mr. Dingman’s own style stands out: he uses it not just for melody and percussion but also for sound, in long, smoky chords beaming out like floodlighting.
From New York Times ● Jun. 20, 2011
Finishing touches installation stained glass windows drum octagon removal scaffolding exterior interior edifice interior calcimining dome drum octagon tuckpointing cleaning floodlighting entire structure completed synchronizing closing weeks glorious twelvemonth annals Holy Faith.
From Dawn of a New Day by Shoghi Effendi
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
