noun
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a device, consisting of a light source and a reflecting surface behind it, that projects a powerful beam of light in a particular direction
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the beam of light produced by such a device
Etymology
Origin of searchlight
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.
During the night, a helicopter flew over the French capital's Place de la Republique, one of the epicentres of the unrest, sweeping a powerful searchlight across the square to monitor compliance with the curfew.
From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026
At night, crews trained a searchlight across dark waters infested with so-called growlers—low-floating chunks of ice the size of trucks that can puncture ships.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2025
The methods used by exasperated zoo-keepers included trying to dazzle the bird with a fire brigade searchlight before nabbing him when he was distracted.
From BBC ● Mar. 2, 2025
The task is a bit like discerning a field of fireflies around a central, massive searchlight.
From Science Daily ● May 6, 2024
Because there was no electricity in our home or around us, the searchlight was astounding.
From "Tasting the Sky" by Ibtisam Barakat
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
