searchlight

/ˈsɜrtʃˌlaɪt/
noun
  1. A powerful light with a beam that can be directed in different directions, used to find people or objects in the dark.
    • The prison searchlight swept across the yard every few seconds.
    • During the air show, a searchlight pointed straight up into the night sky.
    • The rescue team used a searchlight to find the hikers lost in the forest.
  2. A beam of light from such a device.
    • We could see the searchlight from miles away, moving slowly across the clouds.
    • A bright searchlight cut through the fog over the harbor.
    • The searchlight illuminated the side of the old warehouse.
Synonyms