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
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2
as in illuminated
filled with much light
the display windows of department stores are especially bright at Christmastime
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3
as in cheerful
having or showing a good mood or disposition
always walks into work with a bright smile on his face
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4
as in intelligent
having or showing quickness of mind
a company that is always looking for bright, ambitious college graduates
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5
as in promising
having qualities which inspire hope
predicted a bright future for the young math whiz
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6
as in favorable
pointing toward a happy outcome
all the signs are bright right now for an economic boom
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7
as in cheering
serving to lift one's spirits
a bright and beautiful morning to begin planting our garden
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8
as in outstanding
standing above others in rank, importance, or achievement
a bright new star on the operatic scene
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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
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10
as in sunny
not stormy or cloudy
we'll have a picnic on the next bright day
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bright
George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
Set against a bare base, Nguyen uses a bright red polish (our pick is the JINSoon in Ardor) to draw these pretty floral designs all over the nail.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2026
And along with gender and empowerment, there’s also something about having bright colors and a lot of grief on stage that interests me.
—Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
There was a picture of an 11-year-old in a bright red coat being presented with the winner’s trophy by club legends Bryan Robson and Gary Pallister on the Old Trafford pitch before United faced Crystal Palace in the Premier League.
—Chris McKenna, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bright
Adjective
On a much brighter note, attendees at Miles Davis’ electrifying 1985 debut gig at Humphreys, which took place during a driving rainstorm, listened in rapt attention throughout.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
Set against a bare base, Nguyen uses a bright red polish (our pick is the JINSoon in Ardor) to draw these pretty floral designs all over the nail.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2026
And along with gender and empowerment, there’s also something about having bright colors and a lot of grief on stage that interests me.
—Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
There was a picture of an 11-year-old in a bright red coat being presented with the winner’s trophy by club legends Bryan Robson and Gary Pallister on the Old Trafford pitch before United faced Crystal Palace in the Premier League.
—Chris McKenna, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bright
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bright
Adjective
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Eloise's shining moment comes in Quinn's To Sir Phillip, With Love, and follows her love story with Sir Phillip Crane—yes, that Phillip, who married his late brother's true love Marina Thompson.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Her world, fueled by her life, was the shining and irrefutable definition of integrity.—
Josh Peter,
USA Today,
20 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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The top-line stereo system is packaged with a half-dozen options, including head-up display and various illuminated badges and other accoutrements.—
James Raia,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
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From out of nowhere, bands of light form an illuminated rectangle around the car, light emanating from some unknown source suspended in the air.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Creeping phlox is a great choice for edging, rock walls, or slopes, and will brighten any garden with its abundance of cheerful pastel blooms.—
Samantha Johnson,
Martha Stewart,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Daisies look more cute and cheerful than ever when paired with green cat-eye polish.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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An early version of the show was first staged in Seoul in 2015, seven years before the rollout of ChatGPT and the ensuing AI doomsday alarm that platform sparked about the rise of hyper-intelligent robots.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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The Manta Ray, which is known to be highly intelligent and the largest ray in the ocean, topped a popular vote two years ago to become Florida State College at Jacksonville's new mascot.—
Beth Reese Cravey,
Florida Times-Union,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Toles, a promising outfielder who played parts of three seasons with the team from 2016 to 2018, did not report to spring training in 2019 and was quietly placed on the restricted list before it was eventually revealed that Toles had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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Another Brighton foul, by Diego Gomez on Gabriel Martinelli, gives Arsenal a free kick in a promising position.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Clearly, new coach John Harbaugh had a favorable assessment of Neal from the 2022 draft process when the Alabama lineman was viewed as a top prospect.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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Borrowers with good credit and steady income have the most options, including debt consolidation programs with favorable terms.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Each of the four teams that made it to the conference title games last season — the Seahawks and Rams, Patriots and Denver Broncos — had outstanding defenses.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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The American-Statesman's 2026 All-Central Texas Wrestling Team recognizes outstanding achievements this season.—
Rick Cantu,
Austin American Statesman,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The energy was radiant, easygoing, alert and nothing short of magical.—
Jennelle Fong
Contributing Photographer,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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Regardless of what method is chosen, blush takes center stage to create a radiant glow—and Kate appears to be joining the fun.—
Juliana Ukiomogbe,
InStyle,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bright.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bright. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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