highlighter

noun

high·​light·​er ˈhī-ˌlī-tər How to pronounce highlighter (audio)
plural highlighters
1
: a cosmetic for making facial features (such as the cheekbones) appear lighter or brighter
To enhance her natural beauty, the former model's complexion is glowing with a light, iridescent highlighter on her cheeks and a clear, glittery gloss on her lips.Nicole Saunders
2
: a pen with a broad felt tip and brightly colored transparent ink for marking selected passages in a text
At least 100 publications, from newspapers to scientific journals, come into the building daily, and the editors' scissors and highlighters are never idle.Keith Henderson

Examples of highlighter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Instead, the name comes from the way blush and highlighter are applied. Kleigh Balugo, StyleCaster, 13 Jan. 2025 Then, Kerry Washington dazzled with a dark smokey eye, pink highlighter, and nude lipstick. Larry Stansbury, Essence, 6 Jan. 2025 Its sheer, buildable tint is so easy to use (just break the balm with your finger and pat it on) and its large range of colors acts as a natural-looking blush, bronzer, highlighter, even eye shadow. Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 19 Dec. 2024 But don’t underestimate the trio based on lack of quantity—all three brushes are multi-taskers, covering application for concealer, foundation, powder, bronzer, blush, and highlighter. Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 13 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for highlighter 

Word History

First Known Use

1963, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of highlighter was in 1963

Dictionary Entries Near highlighter

Cite this Entry

“Highlighter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/highlighter. Accessed 24 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

highlighter

noun
high·​light·​er
: a pen with a broad felt tip and brightly colored transparent ink for marking selected passages in a text
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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