bright

adjective

\ ˈbrīt

Definition of bright

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : 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 : beautiful

4 : of high saturation or lightness bright colors

5a : lively, cheerful be bright and jovial among your guests— William Shakespeare

b : intelligent, clever a bright idea bright children

6 : auspicious, promising bright prospects for the future

bright

noun

Definition of bright (Entry 2 of 3)

: a color of high saturation : a bright (see bright entry 1 sense 4) color —usually used in plural rich earth tones and crisp brights— Patricia Peterson

Bright

biographical name

\ ˈbrīt

Definition of Bright (Entry 3 of 3)

John 1811–1889 English orator and statesman

Other Words from bright Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about bright

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Choose the Right Synonym for bright

Adjective

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.

Adjective

bright, radiant, and brilliant mean shining or glowing with light. bright can be used of something that produces or reflects a great amount of light. Bright stars shone overhead. A bright full moon filled the sky. radiant is more often used of something that sends forth its own light. The sun is a radiant body. brilliant is used of something that shines with a sparkling or flashing light. The case was filled with brilliant diamonds.

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

One of the zoo’s most popular attractions is back for a second year with bright, elaborate nighttime lantern displays, spread out between the animal exhibits. — cleveland.com, "Cleveland Flea, Carly Rae Jepsen and 15 more things to do in Cleveland this weekend, July 13-14," 13 July 2019 The infield features an artificial playing surface that gives off a bright, almost-new look. — Matt Nevala, Anchorage Daily News, "Alaska’s ballparks: At Chugiak’s Lee Jordan Field, you can sit in the bleachers or on the grass," 12 July 2019 High ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows and French doors bring a bright, airy feel to the nearly 9,400 square feet of living space. — Lauren Beale, latimes.com, "Vintage SoCal: 1920s estate in La Cañada Flintridge is still the bee’s knees," 12 July 2019 My complexion, energy, and mood all transform into brighter, shinier versions. — Joelle Zarcone, SELF, "My Cooley’s Anemia Helps Me View Workouts as a Gift, Not a Chore," 12 July 2019 The 2017 Barone di Villagrande Etna Bianco Superiore ($19) was racy and bright, as was the lively 2017 Benanti Etna Bianco ($22). — Lettie Teague, WSJ, "Sicily’s Under-the-Radar Whites: Great Wines If You Can Get Them," 11 July 2019 The camera can’t capture the stunning vastness of the expanse, and the sky is too bright, which makes the vibrant golden tones of the mesas and buttes look blue. — Rebecca Jennings, Vox, "Everyone wants to Instagram the world’s most beautiful canyon. Should they?," 11 July 2019 Plenty sweet, to be sure, but certainly not cloying, and despite the grapes’ long hang time the flavors are perfectly fresh — pert and bright, as opposed to the stewy-fruit notes that often burden late-harvest wines. — Esther Mobley, SFChronicle.com, "Why don’t we drink dessert wine?," 11 July 2019 My boyfriend of four years is kind, wickedly funny, very bright, and also my physical opposite: tall and lean. — Robin Abrahams, BostonGlobe.com, "Does this boyfriend make me look fat?," 11 July 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

An array of bright, punchy colors were interspersed throughout, as seen in a fuchsia jacket and minidress as well as an orange skirt suit. — Sylvia & Julia Haghjoo, Harper's BAZAAR, "Exclusive: Chanel Haute Couture's Show in Photos," 3 July 2019 His bright, eye-popping colors made his paintings some most recognizable works of the psychedelic era. — NBC News, "Mary Max, wife of psychedelic artist Peter Max, found dead by suicide in New York apartment," 11 June 2019 And while burgundy may suggest only dark shades of cool red, there are lots of bright, not-so-deep, and even slightly warmer versions of the hue — truly something for everyone. — Allure, "15 Beautiful Burgundy Hair-Color Ideas That Feel Fresh and Modern," 16 May 2019 Instead, mash up your pastels and brights, then follow Markle’s lead and complete the look with a neutral bag. — Anny Choi, Vogue, "5 Cold-Weather Styling Tricks You Can Take to the Office," 19 Jan. 2019 The book also delves into color groups—brights, darks, and so on—and offers keen pairings to guide future painters. — Laura Regensdorf, ELLE Decor, "Color Masters," 20 Aug. 2010 The choice of contrasting brights was an unusual one for the Duchess, as she can normally be seen in a more understated and demure color palette of nudes, black and navy—particularly when on official royal duties. — Lucy Wood, Marie Claire, "Meghan Markle's Bright Purple and Red Look Had a Sweet Connection to Princess Diana," 15 Jan. 2019 There’s plenty of deliciousness in the array of bright, layered tarts, cakes and bite-size confections from Watt Sriboonruang, the chef who founded Rawsome Treats about five years ago. — Florence Fabricant, New York Times, "Drop In for Raw Delectables," 9 Apr. 2018 Reduce the heat and add the peas and cook for one or two minutes, or until bright in color. — Tyler Florence, House Beautiful, "Tyler Florence's Salmon with Morels and Pea Risotto Recipe," 4 Mar. 2011

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bright.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.