bright-line
adjective
: providing an unambiguous criterion or guideline especially in law
a bright-line distinction
Synonyms
Examples of bright-line in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Baron’s argument is, at first, the least problematic; the killing of his cousin is a bright-line injustice.
—
Jesse Green, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024
And there’s one bright-line issue that many Northern Virginia Democrats said is fundamental to them: full Virginia funding for the Metro transit system.
—Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 14 Jan. 2024
Because there are no bright-line rules for arguing fair use, Anthropic would need to present a strong case for its situation — likely involving the development of AI and the need for innovation.
—Tatjana Paterno, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Because some amount of discretion is needed in adjudicating these disputes, the absence of bright-line rules is a positive development.
—Robert Litan, Foreign Affairs, 16 Mar. 2016
The route to success in arguing a case before Justice O’Connor lay not in invoking legal doctrine or bright-line rules, but in marshaling the facts to demonstrate a decision’s potential impact.
—Linda Greenhouse, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2023
The new draft guidelines are not bright-line laws or regulations, and US antitrust enforcement will continue to reflect longstanding legal precedents, senior administration officials emphasized Tuesday in a call with reporters.
—Brian Fung, CNN, 19 July 2023
Whatever its justification, the explicit reference requirement is not the kind of straightforward, bright-line test that the Fiat judgment and Kokott’s Amazon opinion present it to be.
—Ryan Finley, Forbes, 17 July 2023
Still, Goldsmith Romero warned that the immaturity of the DeFi sector—and crypto more broadly—will mean that future cases will be based on facts and circumstances, rather than a bright-line rule about what constitutes decentralization.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune Crypto, 12 Apr. 2023
Jesse Green, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024
And there’s one bright-line issue that many Northern Virginia Democrats said is fundamental to them: full Virginia funding for the Metro transit system.
—Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 14 Jan. 2024
Because there are no bright-line rules for arguing fair use, Anthropic would need to present a strong case for its situation — likely involving the development of AI and the need for innovation.
—Tatjana Paterno, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Because some amount of discretion is needed in adjudicating these disputes, the absence of bright-line rules is a positive development.
—Robert Litan, Foreign Affairs, 16 Mar. 2016
The route to success in arguing a case before Justice O’Connor lay not in invoking legal doctrine or bright-line rules, but in marshaling the facts to demonstrate a decision’s potential impact.
—Linda Greenhouse, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2023
The new draft guidelines are not bright-line laws or regulations, and US antitrust enforcement will continue to reflect longstanding legal precedents, senior administration officials emphasized Tuesday in a call with reporters.
—Brian Fung, CNN, 19 July 2023
Whatever its justification, the explicit reference requirement is not the kind of straightforward, bright-line test that the Fiat judgment and Kokott’s Amazon opinion present it to be.
—Ryan Finley, Forbes, 17 July 2023
Still, Goldsmith Romero warned that the immaturity of the DeFi sector—and crypto more broadly—will mean that future cases will be based on facts and circumstances, rather than a bright-line rule about what constitutes decentralization.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune Crypto, 12 Apr. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bright-line.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1982, in the meaning defined above
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Cite this Entry
“Bright-line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bright-line. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Legal Definition
bright line
noun
: a clear distinction that resolves a question or matter in dispute
bright-line
adjective
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