bright 1 of 2

adjective

ˈbrīt How to pronounce bright (audio)
Definition of brightnext
1
as in shining
giving off or reflecting much light in the desert the sun was so bright that it hurt my eyes the moon is bright tonight

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in illuminated
filled with much light the display windows of department stores are especially bright at Christmastime

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in cheerful
having or showing a good mood or disposition always walks into work with a bright smile on his face

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
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
5
as in promising
having qualities which inspire hope predicted a bright future for the young math whiz

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in favorable
pointing toward a happy outcome all the signs are bright right now for an economic boom

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in cheering
serving to lift one's spirits a bright and beautiful morning to begin planting our garden

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in outstanding
standing above others in rank, importance, or achievement a bright new star on the operatic scene

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in radiant
having or being an outward sign of good feelings (as of love, confidence, or happiness) a room full of summer interns with bright, eager faces

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
10
as in sunny
not stormy or cloudy we'll have a picnic on the next bright day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bright

2 of 2

adverb

as in brightly
in a manner marked by the shining or reflecting of much light the storm passed, and once again the sun shone bright

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 interior is designed to match, and far from recycling bright, beachy tropes, instead opts for subtler period antiques, oversized tubs, dark wood floors, and brass lighting fixtures. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026 Unexpectedly bright colors in Samaan’s apartment, with its views over Cairo, offer tantalizing prospects of a better tomorrow which fail to arrive. — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026 The singer wore a pair of low-rise leathery bright red pants with a coordinated bra top, jumping on the bra-as-top-trend that really took off during Fashion Month. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026 In one photo, Hudson showed off her toned figure in a bright red bandeau bikini while relaxing on the beach with her fiancé, Danny Fujikawa. — Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bright
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bright
  1. shining
  2. illuminated
  3. cheerful
  4. intelligent
  5. promising
  6. favorable
  7. outstanding
  8. radiant
Adjective
  • At a time of so much partisanship in Congress, especially related to health care, breakthrough legislation is a shining example of how commonsense policies that support patient care and innovation can achieve broad support.
    — Josh Makower, STAT, 16 Mar. 2026
  • Those memories will remain some of the most shining and unforgettable moments of my life.
    — Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 12 Mar. 2026
Definition of shining
Adjective
  • Slanted vertical light animations frame an illuminated lightning bolt emblem.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Near the brightly illuminated planet Adrian, background stars were therefore largely absent.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of illuminated
Adjective
  • The vibe is of a cheerful — very upscale — Parisian market that’s centered around a section of fruits and vegetables displayed like in a museum.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Jeon is marvelous in the role, allowing flashes of envy, resentment, and longing to surface beneath Mi-ok’s cheerful, accommodating manner without diminishing her warmth or loyalty.
    — Lisa Wong Macabasco, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of cheerful
Adjective
  • For much of the world, the AI that would matter most may not be the most intelligent model ever built.
    — Keyu Jin, Time, 23 Oct. 2026
  • This all-loving creator is ever present, completely good, and the intelligent source of immortal truth and unending love.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of intelligent
Adjective
  • According to the team, lab tests have already shown promising results.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Monday morning is not exactly prime time for dealership traffic, but a handful of prospective customers were in the showroom, which is a promising sign.
    — Eric Bangeman, ArsTechnica, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of promising
Adjective
  • The Michigan Senate contest is just one of the high-profile races where AIPAC has spent in favor of a pro-Israel politician or in opposition to someone the organization sees as less favorable to Israel.
    — Saige Miller, NPR, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Wedgewood polls tended to be about 1 percentage point more favorable for Democrats than other polls, according to Silver.
    — Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of favorable
Adjective
  • Highfill maintains a covenant requiring utility rates to generate net revenues equal to at least 110% of maximum annual debt service on outstanding system bonds.
    — Randy Moll, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The debt reflects the principal amount outstanding under convertible notes Anthropic issued to Amazon starting in 2023, according to the lab's prospectus.
    — Ashley Capoot,Jordan Novet,Annie Palmer,Lora Kolodny,Kai Nicol-Schwarz,Caleigh Keating, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of outstanding
Adjective
  • Each of the shooting stars can be seen racing away from the shower's apparent point of origin — or radiant — which is located close to the red giant star Betelgeuse in the constellation Orion.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • This formula feels and applies like skincare, and looks like your skin but brighter and more radiant.
    — Gina Vaynshteyn, StyleCaster, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of radiant

Browse Nearby Words

brigantines
bright
brighten
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bright.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bright. Accessed 27 Oct. 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 milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

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

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

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
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All