- 1(informal spot) [countable] a light with a single, very bright beam that can be directed at a particular place or person The room was lit by spotlights. Oxford Collocations Dictionary verb + spotlightshine, step into spotlight + verbbe on somebody/something, fall on somebody/something, shine on somebody/something, … prepositionin the spotlight, under the spotlight See full entry See related entries: Film-making equipment
- 2the spotlight [uncountable] the area of light that is made by a spotlight She stood alone on stage in the spotlight. Oxford Collocations Dictionary verb + spotlightshine, step into spotlight + verbbe on somebody/something, fall on somebody/something, shine on somebody/something, … prepositionin the spotlight, under the spotlight See full entry
- 3the spotlight [uncountable] attention from newspapers, television and the public Unemployment is once again in the spotlight. The issue will come under the spotlight when parliament reassembles. The report has turned the spotlight on the startling rise in street crime. She was happy to share the spotlight with her sister. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveharsh, international, national, … verb + spotlightcome into, come under, be thrust into, … spotlight + verbbe on somebody/something, fall on somebody/something, shine on somebody/something, … prepositionaway from the spotlight, in the spotlight, under the spotlight, … See full entry Extra examples He accused her of hogging the spotlight. He stepped into the spotlight to the wild applause of the crowd. He will want to keep the spotlight on the divisions within the party. It was hot under the spotlights. She was suddenly thrust into the political spotlight. The President has never been one to shun the spotlight. The affair is now out of the spotlight. The captain had to share the spotlight with the new young star. The quality of food in the shops is back in the spotlight. These revelations threw a spotlight on the shakiness of the economy. They shone the spotlight on a woman at the back of the audience. This issue will come under the spotlight at tomorrow’s meeting.
spotlight
nounBrE BrE//ˈspɒtlaɪt//; NAmE NAmE//ˈspɑːtlaɪt//
Film-making equipment
Check pronunciation: spotlight
