bright 1 of 2

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as in intelligent
having or showing quickness of mind a company that is always looking for bright, ambitious college graduates

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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bright

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adverb

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bright colors
vivid colors
vibrant colors
brilliant colors
bold colors
loud colors
a bright day
a sunny day
a clear day
a brilliant day
a dazzling day
a sunshiny day
a bright future
a good future
a hopeful future
a brilliant future
a vibrant future
a sunny future
bright students
smart students
intelligent students
sharp students
brilliant students
brainy students

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective bright differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of bright are brilliant, luminous, lustrous, and radiant. While all these words mean "shining or glowing with light," bright implies emitting or reflecting a high degree of light.

When is brilliant a more appropriate choice than bright?

While the synonyms brilliant and bright are close in meaning, brilliant implies intense often sparkling brightness.

In what contexts can luminous take the place of bright?

While in some cases nearly identical to bright, luminous implies emission of steady, suffused, glowing light by reflection or in surrounding darkness.

When would lustrous be a good substitute for bright?

The meanings of lustrous and bright largely overlap; however, lustrous stresses an even, rich light from a surface that reflects brightly without glittering.

When might radiant be a better fit than bright?

Although the words radiant and bright have much in common, radiant stresses the emission or seeming emission of rays of light.

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bright
Adjective
The aurora does not need to be directly overhead but can be observed from as much as 1000 km away when the aurora is bright and if conditions are right. Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025 Each of her bright, floppy crimson fingers contains thousands of highly nutritious pinhead-sized seeds. Michael Shaikh june 25, Literary Hub, 25 June 2025 The bright blue Island scrub jay is only found on Santa Cruz Island. Paul Bersebach, Oc Register, 25 June 2025 Houses are made of wood and painted bright shades of red, yellow or blue. Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 14 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for bright
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bright
Adjective
  • Attendees rode in support of and alongside community member Eva Zamora, who is a shining example of how to live your best life with Parkinson’s disease and takes cycle classes at EōS regularly, a news release stated.
    News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Apr. 2025
  • Her next shining moment comes when two young sisters enter the hospital.
    Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Diana wore the cheerful frock on several occasions between 1988 and 1992, often during hospital visits and moments of connection with patients.
    Janine Henni, People.com, 28 June 2025
  • Volunteers from a nonprofit that trains service dogs, Helping Paws Inc., provided a little canine therapy for waiting mourners Friday at the Capitol, working the crowd with cheerful golden retrievers.
    John Hanna, Twin Cities, 28 June 2025
Adjective
  • Lucy’s colleagues refer to men like him—tall, handsome, in finance, intelligent, urbane—as unicorns.
    Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 21 June 2025
  • Celebrate intelligent risk-taking, not just polished outcomes.
    Bill Fischer, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
Adjective
  • Carter Bryant: With his dynamic athleticism and two-way potential, Bryant could quickly become one of the most promising young players in OKC.
    Nick Crain, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
  • Larry Birnbaum, a professor of computer science at Northwestern University was recruiting a promising PhD to become a graduate researcher.
    Alexandra Sternlicht, Fortune, 25 June 2025
Adjective
  • The odds backcourt mate Will Richard would hear his name called were not nearly as favorable.
    Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 June 2025
  • The quarterly rebalanced mix of large-, mid-, and small-cap RV Portfolio stocks has provided a dynamic approach to leveraging favorable market conditions while minimizing losses when markets decline, as detailed in RV Portfolio performance metrics.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Adjective
  • On the one hand, Season Four addresses a lot of outstanding emotional issues.
    Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 28 June 2025
  • In 2012, Bates won her first Emmy Award, taking home outstanding guest actress in a comedy series for Two and a Half Men.
    Brendan Le, People.com, 28 June 2025
Adjective
  • Martha Stewart—still radiant at 83—is but one famous fan of the minimalist brand.
    Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 26 June 2025
  • The former childhood sweethearts appeared radiant on social media during and after their outdoor ceremony, which took place at Grandfather Mountain Country Club in Linville, N.C. Drake is 22.
    Bill Speros, Boston Herald, 25 June 2025
Adjective
  • Historically, sunglasses have had an intricate relationship to colder climates as opposed to the sunnier side of the sidewalk.
    Cassell Ferere, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
  • The Leo moon enhances an outspoken and sunny disposition until someone challenges your expression.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 27 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bright.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bright. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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