radiance

noun

ˈrā-dē-ən(t)s How to pronounce radiance (audio)
Definition of radiancenext
1
as in brightness
the quality or state of having or giving off light the radiance of the midday sun created a harsh glare for the skiers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in glow
the steady giving off of the form of radiation that makes vision possible had a dream in which she was steadily moving down a dark tunnel toward a radiance at the far end

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 radiance His photos of his grandmother, for example, shine with an ethereal radiance that transforms the lines in her face and hands into markers celebrating her life and impact. — David MacK, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026 Curology and Dove Cameron are joining forces to create a nonprescription skin care line centered around hydration, radiance and ritual. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2026 The event’s jaw-dropping radiance stunned astronomers, who think that a GRB of this strength strikes Earth only once every 10,000 years. — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026 Medicube toner deals Toners can help improve skin's radiance and can be especially useful for this time of year when skin is looking and feeling drab due to cold weather. — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for radiance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for radiance
  1. brightness
  2. glow
  3. brilliancy
  4. glare
  5. brilliance
  6. light
  7. lightness
  8. gleam
Noun
  • The screen has ample brightness for sunlit rooms and reasonably vibrant colors.
    — Charles Jefferies, PC Magazine, 31 Oct. 2026
  • The new MacBook Pro’s PROLED XDR touch display is a tandem OLED panel with up to 2,000 nits of brightness and a 120Hz refresh rate.
    — Stevie Bonifield, The Verge, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of brightness
Noun
  • Step inside the glassy tower and the mood softens instantly; warm wood panelling, geometric latticework and ikebana arrangements nod to traditional craftsmanship; lantern-like lighting casts a gentle glow across stone floors and neutral textiles.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The glow of many Turners has dwindled, thanks to unstable pigments, but here is an immaculate exception.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of glow
Noun
  • Greatest brilliancy marks the sweet spot between the two, when Venus' apparent size and shrinking phase combine to give us the greatest apparent area of illuminated Venus in our sky.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The result is an incredible repository of vexations, bafflements, witticisms, and brilliancies.
    — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Definition of brilliancy
Noun
  • The crew switched on spotlights to mimic the glare of the blast.
    — Matt Alt, New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2026
  • There’s also a nano-texture glass option to fight glare, though that will set you back another $150.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of glare
Noun
  • Mesmerized by its brilliance, Marcella feels an irresistible pull toward the diamond, and when the glittering façade of her charmed life begins to crack, Marcella must decide whether the Midnight Diamond is her salvation—or her doom.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Seen as a five-tool star, Mondesí had moments of brilliance with the Royals, but also struggled with injuries.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of brilliance
Noun
  • Silicon photonics Silicon photonics integrates optical components onto semiconductor platforms to transmit information using light.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Wipe down doorknobs, light switches and countertops daily, and again after guests come through, according to the CDC.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of light
Noun
  • The steel, aged-effect metal and highly polished surfaces create a contrast between rawness and precision, while the transparency of the facade lends lightness to the flagship’s compact, block-like form.
    — David Moin, Footwear News, 9 Nov. 2026
  • This wonderful Syrah is a blend of 94 percent Syrah and 6 percent Viognier to add a bit of lightness.
    — Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of lightness
Noun
  • The music resolves and smoke rolls into the gallery before the screen opens up and the real Endeavour gleams in the distance, spotlighted like a mirage in the dark.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The singer-songwriter’s seventh album is their wackiest and funniest to date, with a madcap gleam coursing through its synth-pop portraits of lovable weirdos and suburban dread.
    — Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of gleam

Browse Nearby Words

raddled
radiance
radiances
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Radiance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/radiance. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gauntlet

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Nov. 13

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
woman sitting on floor holding book in front of her face on pink background
Famous Novels, Last Lines Quiz Needless to say, spoiler alert.
See All