Words of Positivity
Browse the A to Z index4,633 ENTRIES

Beacon

n.hopeful, kindliterary

What it means

A visible example or signal that guides others toward safety, hope, or a better course.

Reach for it when praising someone or something whose example gives direction

The night school became a beacon for adults returning to education.

Choose between these

6
  • playful

    north star

    a memorable principle directs choices

    not when the reference is literal navigation

  • everyday

    guide

    direct help with choosing a route

    not when the influence works mainly by example

  • warm

    inspiration

    someone awakens hope or effort

    not when specific direction must be supplied

  • professional

    signal

    information points toward action

    not when warm human inspiration is central

  • formal

    landmark

    a recognizable reference point matters

    not when moral guidance is being praised

  • literary

    lodestar

    a lasting ideal guides decisions

    not when plain language suits the audience

Said against

3
  • warning
  • obscurity
  • misdirection

It naturally appears in

3
  • beacon of hope

    The reopened theater was a beacon of hope after the long closure.

  • guiding beacon

    Her patient work served as a guiding beacon for new volunteers.

  • bright beacon

    The clinic remains a bright beacon in an isolated valley.

Where this comes from

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.