sunlight

sunlight — noun

1. the bright glow produced by the sun that reaches the earth and allows people and

1.nounB2
Definition

the bright glow produced by the sun that reaches the earth and allows people and plants to see and grow during the day

Example

The morning sunlight poured through the kitchen window, warming the tiles.

collocation: sunlight + pour / stream

Yan's sunflowers grew tall because they received plenty of sunlight every day.

Common collocations
  • bright sunlight
  • direct sunlight
  • harsh sunlight
  • soft sunlight
  • morning sunlight
  • afternoon sunlight
  • block the sunlight
  • in the sunlight
  • plenty of sunlight
  • sunlight pours / streams / floods
Synonyms
  • sunshine

    more positive and pleasant in tone; often used when describing good weather

  • daylight

    broader meaning — natural light during daytime, not necessarily direct sun

  • sunbeams

    refers to visible rays or shafts of sunlight, not the general light itself

Antonyms
  • shade

    area sheltered from direct sunlight

  • darkness

    absence of all light, including sunlight

Usage Note

Sunlight is an uncountable noun — do not use as 'a sunlight' or 'sunlights'. It is often modified by adjectives describing intensity (bright, harsh, soft, direct) or time of day (morning, afternoon).

Common Mistakes

The sunlights were too bright.
The sunlight was too bright.
sunlight is uncountable and cannot be pluralised.
Sunlight is very hot today.
The sunlight is very strong today.
heat describes temperature; strength or brightness describes light.