sunshine
gb/sˈʌnʃˌaɪn/ us/sˈʌnʃˌaɪn/
A2
English
~ 6700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
direct light and warmth from the sun
The bright light and heat from the sun, especially when it shines on the ground or on you.
Usage pattern:
to sit / stand / lie in the sunshine
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *sun* instead of *sunshine* when they mean the light and warmth. *Sun* is the star itself, while *sunshine* is the light and heat it gives us, as in 'sit in the sunshine', not 'sit in the sun' (though both are possible, *sunshine* focuses more on the pleasant light).
Synonyms
sunlight (Very close in meaning; slightly more technical and less emotional than 'sunshine'.)
Antonyms
shade (Refers to an area where direct sunshine is blocked.)
Collocations
bright sunshine
|warm sunshine
|in the sunshine
|direct sunshine
|enjoy the sunshine
|out in the sunshine
Themes
nature
|weather
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The morning sunshine streamed through the kitchen window.
- We sat in the sunshine on the balcony and drank coffee.
- Plants near the window get more sunshine and grow faster.
- After weeks of rain, the warm sunshine felt amazing on my skin.
- Close the curtains to keep the strong sunshine out of the room.
Learner examples
- The sunshine comes into my room every morning.
- We ate lunch outside in the sunshine.
- I love to feel the sunshine on my face.
- Too much sunshine can burn your skin.
- The cat is sleeping in the sunshine.
Noun
A2
state
2
sunny, pleasant weather conditions
Weather when the sun is out and the sky is mostly clear, usually nice and warm.
Usage pattern:
[place] has [amount] of sunshine
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *a sunshine* to mean a sunny day. *Sunshine* is almost always uncountable in this sense. Say 'We had some sunshine' or 'We had a sunny day', not 'We had a sunshine.'
Synonyms
sunny weather (A descriptive phrase rather than a noun, but refers to the same type of weather.)
Antonyms
rain (Represents wet, cloudy weather, the opposite of dry, bright sunshine as a weather condition.)
Collocations
hours of sunshine
|plenty of sunshine
|sunshine and showers
|guaranteed sunshine
|lack of sunshine
|in search of sunshine
Themes
weather
|travel
|daily_life
|nature
Examples
- We chose Spain for our holiday because it has more sunshine in winter.
- Tomorrow’s forecast says there will be sunshine in the morning and showers later.
- The garden doesn’t get enough sunshine for tomatoes to grow well.
- After days without sunshine, everyone seemed tired and depressed.
- This region enjoys over 300 days of sunshine a year.
Learner examples
- We went to the beach to enjoy the sunshine.
- The city gets a lot of sunshine in summer.
- There was no sunshine all week; it was cloudy every day.
- We are looking for a place with more sunshine.
- The children ran outside when the sunshine came back.
Noun
B2
state
3
a feeling or quality of happiness
A happy, warm, and positive feeling that makes people feel good.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] brings sunshine into [someone’s] life
Common mistake:
Learners may sometimes misunderstand this as literal weather. In sentences like 'Her smile brings sunshine into my life', *sunshine* is a metaphor for happiness, not actual sunlight or good weather.
Synonyms
cheer (Similar idea of happiness and positivity, but more general and not tied to the image of light and warmth.)
Antonyms
gloom (Suggests sadness and darkness, the opposite emotional atmosphere of 'sunshine'.)
Collocations
bring sunshine
|fill with sunshine
|a little bit of sunshine
|add some sunshine
|love and sunshine
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|literary
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her kind message brought a little sunshine into my day.
- The children’s laughter filled the house with sunshine.
- He tried to bring some sunshine to the office by cracking jokes.
- Music can be a real source of sunshine during hard times.
- Thank you for all the sunshine you’ve brought into my life.
Learner examples
- Your smile brings sunshine to this room.
- The party was full of sunshine and joy.
- Her visit was pure sunshine for him.
- We all need some sunshine in our lives.
- This song gives me sunshine in my heart.
Noun
informal
B2
entity
4
a very cheerful, uplifting person
Someone who makes other people feel very happy and warm inside.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is [someone’s] sunshine
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes treat *sunshine* like a normal name and write 'Sunshine is my friend' when they mean 'My friend is my sunshine.' In this meaning, *sunshine* is a description or nickname, not usually a formal name.
Synonyms
bright spark (Informal; also describes a lively, positive person, but can focus more on energy or intelligence.)
Antonyms
killjoy (Someone who stops others from having fun, the opposite of a person who brings sunshine.)
Collocations
my little sunshine
|our sunshine
|you’re my sunshine
|be someone’s sunshine
|a real sunshine
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|family
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her grandson is her little sunshine and always makes her smile.
- You’re my sunshine; you always cheer me up when I’m sad.
- Ever since she joined the team, she’s been our sunshine in the office.
- He called his daughter his sunshine and pride.
- Thanks for being my sunshine on difficult days.
Learner examples
- My baby is my sunshine.
- You are my sunshine when I feel sad.
- He is the sunshine of this class.
- She is our sunshine at work.
- The new student is a real sunshine in the group.
Noun
informal
B2
action
5
affectionate or sarcastic form of address
A word you use to talk directly to someone, usually in a loving or friendly way, but sometimes in a slightly angry or sarcastic way.
Usage pattern:
"[Greeting], sunshine" / "Listen, sunshine"
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that *sunshine* can sound sarcastic with adults if the tone is sharp, as in 'Listen, sunshine…'. With children or close partners it is usually sweet; with strangers it can sound rude.
Synonyms
sweetheart (Common affectionate address; usually not sarcastic, while 'sunshine' can be affectionate OR sarcastic depending on tone.)
Antonyms
sir (A polite, formal form of address, unlike the intimate or ironic tone of 'sunshine'.)
Collocations
good morning, sunshine
|hey, sunshine
|easy there, sunshine
|listen, sunshine
Themes
relationships
|conversation
|communication
Examples
- Good morning, sunshine! Did you sleep well?
- Come on, sunshine, it’s time to get up for school.
- Listen, sunshine, you can’t talk to people like that and expect no reaction.
- Cheer up, sunshine, things will get better soon.
- All right, sunshine, that’s enough complaining for one day.
Learner examples
- Good morning, sunshine. Breakfast is ready.
- Hey, sunshine, are you okay?
- Okay, sunshine, let’s go home now.
- Easy there, sunshine, calm down.
- Thanks for helping me, sunshine.
Grammar
Dictionary form
sunshine
IPA
GB/sˈʌnʃˌaɪn/
US/sˈʌnʃˌaɪn/
Syllables & stress
sun - shine (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (sun)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: sunshine
- Plural: sunshine
Word family
Expressions
good morning, sunshine
5/ɡˈʊd mˈɔɹnɪŋ | sˈʌnʃˌaɪn/
fixed phrase
informal
friendly, playful morning greeting
A warm and playful way to say good morning to someone you know well.
Examples
- Good morning, sunshine, did you sleep okay?
- She smiled and whispered, 'Good morning, sunshine,' to her baby.
- He walked into the kitchen and said, 'Good morning, sunshine,' to his roommate.
hello, sunshine
6/hɛlˈoʊ | sˈʌnʃˌaɪn/
fixed phrase
informal
friendly greeting using nickname
A friendly or playful way to say hello to someone, using 'sunshine' as a sweet nickname.
Examples
- Hello, sunshine, nice to see you again.
- She opened the door and said, 'Hello, sunshine! Come in.'
- He texted her, 'Hello, sunshine. How’s your day going?'
not all sunshine and rainbows
2/nˈɑt ˈɔl sˈʌnʃˌaɪn ˈænd ɹˈeɪnboʊz/
idiom
informal
saying something is not all good
Used to say that something is not completely good or easy; there are also problems or bad parts.
Examples
- Life abroad can be exciting, but it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.
- Owning your own business is not all sunshine and rainbows; it’s a lot of hard work.
- Social media looks perfect, but remember it’s not all sunshine and rainbows behind the photos.
sunshine law
1/sˈʌnʃˌaɪn lˈɔ/
fixed phrase
technical
law requiring government transparency
A law that says some government meetings or documents must be open for the public to see.
Examples
- Journalists used the state’s sunshine law to get the documents.
- Sunshine laws are designed to make government more transparent.
- Under the sunshine law, the council meeting had to be open to citizens.
walk on sunshine
3/wˈɔk ˈɔn sˈʌnʃˌaɪn/
idiom
informal
feel extremely happy
To feel very, very happy and full of energy, as if everything is wonderful.
Examples
- Ever since she got the job, she’s been walking on sunshine.
- He felt like he was walking on sunshine after the good news.
- The team was walking on sunshine after winning the final.
you are my sunshine
4/jˈu ˈɑɹ mˈaɪ sˈʌnʃˌaɪn/
fixed phrase
informal
telling someone they make you happy
An affectionate way to tell someone that they make you very happy and are very important to you.
Examples
- You are my sunshine, and I don’t know what I’d do without you.
- Parents often say 'You are my sunshine' to their children.
- He wrote, 'You are my sunshine,' at the end of the message to his girlfriend.
a ray of sunshine
1/ə ɹˈeɪ əv sˈʌnʃˌaɪn/
idiom
Someone who makes others feel happy
Someone or something that makes people feel happy and positive.
Examples
- Her cheerful attitude is like a ray of sunshine in our office.
- He was a ray of sunshine during my difficult days.
a ray of sunshine
2/ə ɹˈeɪ əv sˈʌnʃˌaɪn/
idiom
person/thing that cheers others
A person or thing that makes people feel much happier, especially in a sad or difficult situation.
Examples
- The new teacher is a real ray of sunshine in this school.
- Her weekly phone calls are a ray of sunshine for him while he’s in hospital.
- On rainy days, his silly jokes are a ray of sunshine in the office.