bright

1 of 2

adjective

1
a
: radiating or reflecting light : shining, sparkling
bright lights
bright eyes
b
: sunny
a bright day
also : radiant with happiness
bright smiling faces
bright moments
2
: illustrious, glorious
brightest star of the opera
3
4
: of high saturation or lightness
bright colors
5
a
: lively, cheerful
be bright and jovial among your guestsWilliam Shakespeare
b
: intelligent, clever
a bright idea
bright children
6
: auspicious, promising
bright prospects for the future
bright adverb
brightly adverb

bright

2 of 2

noun

plural brights
1
: a color of high saturation : a bright (see bright entry 1 sense 4) color
usually used in plural
rich earth tones and crisp brightsPatricia Peterson
2
brights plural : clothing that is brightly colored
Follow these steps and you can wash your dark clothes with the same laundry detergent you use for your whites and brights.Mary Hunt
3
brights plural : high beams
It didn't help that the car behind her, which had its brights on, seemed intent on tailgating her all the way to Fells Point.Laura Lippman
Choose the Right Synonym for bright

bright, brilliant, radiant, luminous, lustrous mean shining or glowing with light.

bright implies emitting or reflecting a high degree of light.

brilliant implies intense often sparkling brightness.

radiant stresses the emission or seeming emission of rays of light.

luminous implies emission of steady, suffused, glowing light by reflection or in surrounding darkness.

lustrous stresses an even, rich light from a surface that reflects brightly without glittering.

Examples of bright in a Sentence

Adjective The lighting was too bright. a bright room with lots of windows It was a bright, sunny day. The room was decorated in bright colors.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
This earlier history encompasses not only the now notorious C.I.A. research into mind-altering drugs but also a lighter, brighter, more public dimension of better living through chemistry, buoyed by postwar scientific optimism and public reverence for expertise. Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2024 Your support ensures a bright future for independent journalism. Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2024 The combined removal of dead cells and peach fuzz allows the absorption of skincare products, which leads to a brighter skin tone. Maeghan Dolph, Fox News, 22 Jan. 2024 Even when all might be lost in a hopeless desert of lifeless toxic sludge, the future feels bright. Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 21 Jan. 2024 The guitar must be warm but just a bit bright, with a touch of drive and a long-tail reverb that hangs in the air. Katie Thornton, Rolling Stone, 21 Jan. 2024 Pretty pots filled with heat-loving plants bring bright pops of living color inside the space. Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Jan. 2024 Her fabulous bright red power suit was certainly worth the applause. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 21 Jan. 2024 Tennis balls are the bright yellow color that they are known for today, thanks in part to Sir David Attenborough. Nicholas Rice, Peoplemag, 21 Jan. 2024
Noun
Sunshine yellow and neon brights are out, a warm palette of reds, plum and berry tones–colors typically associated with the autumn months–is in. Hannah Coates, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2023 They're made from a cotton-blend fabric with a fleece interior and come in many colors, with options ranging from classic black and heather gray to brights and pastels in shades of pink, blue, and green. Nicola Fumo, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2023 The shape is the same — long, pointy stilettos — but Fox typically chooses dark colors or metallics, not a summery bright white like this one. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 25 July 2023 It’s made from smooth leather and comes in 10 colors including classics like black and ivory, plus neon brights, metallics, and snakeskin. Nicola Fumo, Peoplemag, 8 Aug. 2023 The blanket comes in 27 colors, including brights and neutrals, and is tasseled on both sides. Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 July 2023 If pink isn't their shade, there's 17 total color options: everything from neutrals like gray, white and black to brights like purple, blue and green. Alyssa Gautieri, Good Housekeeping, 24 July 2023 The Vivere hammock is nice-looking and available in 39 different color options, including sleek neutrals and bold brights. Kathleen Felton, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 June 2023 Their latest collection, Summer Make the Rules, comes in 12 playful shades that reimagine classic pastels and brights by mixing them together for a bright pastel palette to keep your nails looking fresh and fun all season. Nerisha Penrose, ELLE, 6 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bright.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English beorht; akin to Old High German beraht bright, Sanskrit bhrājate it shines

Noun

noun derivative of bright entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1920, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of bright was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near bright

Cite this Entry

“Bright.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bright. Accessed 27 Jan. 2024.

Kids Definition

bright

adjective
ˈbrīt
1
: giving off or filled with much light
2
: very clear or vivid in color
3
: intelligent sense 1b, clever
a bright child
a bright idea
4
: cheerful sense 1
a bright smile
5
: full of promise
a bright future
bright adverb
brightly adverb
brightness noun

Biographical Definition

Bright

biographical name

John 1811–1889 English orator and statesman

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