spotlight

noun

/ˈspɒtlaɪt/

/ˈspɑːtlaɪt/

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(also informal spot)
[countable] a light with a single, very bright beam that can be directed at a particular place or person, especially a performer on the stage
- The room was lit by spotlights.
- When the stage is dimmed, spotlights are used to create a tight arc of light.
Extra Examples
- It was hot under the spotlights.
- They shone the spotlight on a woman at the back of the audience.
Topics Film and theatrec1
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
verb + spotlight
- shine
- step into
spotlight + verb
- be on somebody/something
- fall on somebody/something
- shine on somebody/something
- …
preposition
- in the spotlight
- under the spotlight
See full entry
the spotlight
[uncountable] the area of light that is made by a spotlight
- in the spotlight She stood alone on stage in the spotlight.
- He stepped into the spotlight to the wild applause of the crowd.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
verb + spotlight
- shine
- step into
spotlight + verb
- be on somebody/something
- fall on somebody/something
- shine on somebody/something
- …
preposition
- in the spotlight
- under the spotlight
See full entry
the spotlight
[uncountable] attention from newspapers, television and the public
- in the spotlight Unemployment is once again in the spotlight.
- under 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.
Extra Examples
- He accused her of hogging the spotlight.
- He will want to keep the spotlight on the divisions within the party.
- 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.
- This issue will come under the spotlight at tomorrow's meeting.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- harsh
- international
- national
- …
verb + spotlight
- come into
- come under
- be thrust into
- …
spotlight + verb
- be on somebody/something
- fall on somebody/something
- shine on somebody/something
- …
preposition
- away from the spotlight
- in the spotlight
- under the spotlight
- …
See full entry

spotlight

verb

/ˈspɒtlaɪt/

/ˈspɑːtlaɪt/

Especially in sense 2, spotlighted is also used for the past tense and past participle.

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they spotlight	/ˈspɒtlaɪt/ /ˈspɑːtlaɪt/
he / she / it spotlights	/ˈspɒtlaɪts/ /ˈspɑːtlaɪts/
past simple spotlit	/ˈspɒtlɪt/ /ˈspɑːtlɪt/
past participle spotlit	/ˈspɒtlɪt/ /ˈspɑːtlɪt/
-ing form spotlighting	/ˈspɒtlaɪtɪŋ/ /ˈspɑːtlaɪtɪŋ/

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spotlight something to shine a spotlight on somebody/something
- a spotlit stage
spotlight something to give special attention to a problem, situation, etc. so that people notice it synonym highlight
- The programme spotlights financial problems in the health service.