Illustration of eclipse
- E earth
- M moon in solar eclipse
- P penumbra
- S sun
- U umbra
1
a
: the total or partial obscuring of one celestial body by another
b
: the passing into the shadow of a celestial body compare occultation, transit
2
: a falling into obscurity or decline
3
: the state of being in eclipse plumage
eclipsed; eclipsing
Synonyms
Examples of eclipse in a Sentence
Noun
an eclipse of the sun
The popularity of television led to the eclipse of the radio drama.
an artist whose reputation has long been in eclipse
Verb
The sun was partially eclipsed by the moon.
Train travel was eclipsed by the growth of commercial airlines.
Recent Examples on the Web
Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
The Perseverance rover, currently ascending the western wall of Jezero Crater, captured a video of the partial eclipse, which resembled a googly eye, on September 30.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 31 Oct. 2024
Jamie Carter, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Trump started planning a comeback even as some leaders in his party hoped he would be eclipsed by Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor, or Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor who served as Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations.
—Chris Megerian, Twin Cities, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for eclipse 
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Noun
When Neptune crossed in front of a star, the planet seemed to block some of the starlight even before reaching a full eclipse, suggesting that some wispy mass drifted beyond the geographical boundary of the planet—a ring, perhaps.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
The Perseverance rover, currently ascending the western wall of Jezero Crater, captured a video of the partial eclipse, which resembled a googly eye, on September 30.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
Next will come Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, where the sun will be eclipsed at noon at its highest in the sky.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Trump started planning a comeback even as some leaders in his party hoped he would be eclipsed by Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor, or Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor who served as Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations.
—Chris Megerian, Twin Cities, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for eclipse
Articles Related to eclipse
Dictionary Entries Near eclipse
Cite this Entry
“Eclipse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eclipse. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
eclipse
1 of 2 noun1
a
: the total or partial hiding of a planet, star, or moon by another
b
: the passing into the shadow of a planet, star, or moon
2
: a falling into disgrace or out of use or public favor
eclipse
2 of 2 verb
eclipsed; eclipsing
1
: to cause an eclipse of
2
a
: to reduce in importance
b
: to do or be much better than : outshine
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