Meanings
- idiomaticIn the focus of attention, especially from the media.
The politician was in the limelight from the moment the scandal became public.
Synonyms: in the spotlight
Synonyms & antonyms
prepositional phraseIn the focus of attention, especially from the media.
Origin
From the use of limelight for theatre lighting, in particular, for powering the spotlights which are used to put the focus on individual actors on stage.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Dutch in het spotlicht, in het centrum van de aandacht
- in het spotlichtfocus of attention
- in het centrum van de aandachtfocus of attention
Finnish parrasvaloissa
- parrasvaloissafocus of attention
French sous les feux de la rampe
- sous les feux de la rampefocus of attention
German im Rampenlicht, im Mittelpunkt des Interesses
- im Rampenlichtfocus of attention
- im Mittelpunkt des Interessesfocus of attention
Italian sotto i riflettori
- sotto i riflettorifocus of attention
Portuguese na ribalta, nas luzes da ribalta
- na ribaltafocus of attention
- nas luzes da ribaltafocus of attention
- no centro das atençõesfocus of attention
Spanish en el candelero, en candelero
- en el candelerofocus of attention
- en candelerofocus of attention
Swedish i rampljuset
- i rampljusetfocus of attention
Cite this entry
in the limelight. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20the%20limelight
“in the limelight.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20the%20limelight. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “in the limelight,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20the%20limelight.
Source: in the limelight on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.