as in obvious
not subject to misinterpretation or more than one interpretation
there is no bright-line rule governing the issue
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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-line
Crafting bright-line tests that separate commodities from securities, or creating a new category, will be legally complex.
—
Becca Bratcher, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
There is no bright-line definition for hardship—it’s determined by the employer under the terms of the retirement plan and based on facts and circumstances.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
None of these cases, for instance, is likely to result in the full restoration of the bright-line rules established with the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, rules based in part on the lessons of our battles against authoritarian monarchy in the seventeenth century.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 20 Aug. 2024
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
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
Becca Bratcher, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
There is no bright-line definition for hardship—it’s determined by the employer under the terms of the retirement plan and based on facts and circumstances.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
None of these cases, for instance, is likely to result in the full restoration of the bright-line rules established with the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, rules based in part on the lessons of our battles against authoritarian monarchy in the seventeenth century.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 20 Aug. 2024
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bright-line
Adjective
-
The triggers for a crash likewise do not generally follow any obvious logic.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Roem and other critics of data center growth see a few obvious goals in Virginia if Spanberger wins — though the would-be governor has not climbed on board with all of them.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The various lineages of Ursuța’s work are unmistakable.—
Jerry Saltz,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
-
While the murderous struggle is hard to hear in the video, the barking continued for several minutes and is unmistakable.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Washington — New air traffic control audio captures pilots in an apparent struggle to regain control of a private business jet as the plane plunged into woods near Lansing, Michigan on Thursday, killing all three on board.—
Pete Muntean,
CNN Money,
17 Oct. 2025
-
A lot has happened to the Jeep since American soldiers planted a flag on Iwo Jima, but after 80 years, the family resemblance of today’s Jeep Wrangler to the original is still readily apparent, though contemporary models are thoroughly modern cars.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
To be clear, the defense isn’t without concerns.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
13 Oct. 2025
-
By virtue of its lack of carbs, clear protein doesn’t contain any lactose—a sugar found in dairy that can cause digestive irritation in some people, like bloating and diarrhea.—
Caroline Tien,
SELF,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
There is no straightforward answer.—
Michelle Maves,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
-
But viewers looking for a straightforward thriller chronicling the international incident will not find it here.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Hackman was not only a collector but an artist himself, and his approach to collecting mirrors the care, aesthetic sensibility, and discipline evident in his own artistic practice.—
Victoria Edel,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Set the Tone at the Front Door The sense of escape is even evident at the front of the house, where a rose plant climbs across the archway and herbs are planted along the gravel driveway.—
Miranda Crowell,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
At the vacation rentals below, uncover all that is distinct and dreamy in Scotland, from coastal cottages to Georgian manor homes.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
12 Oct. 2025
-
The fake tundra surrounding the cast definitely had a distinct odor to it.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Those connections have led some critics to argue that Devin Talbott’s political and business roles fit within a broader Democratic establishment network.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Oct. 2025
-
The LNPs were injected carrying the Pdha2 mRNA into the rete testis to ensure broad delivery throughout the seminiferous tubules.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bright-line.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bright-line. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share