as in obvious
not subject to misinterpretation or more than one interpretation
there is no bright-line rule governing the issue
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Recent Examples of bright-line
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 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
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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bright-line
Adjective
-
Such an obvious way to exhibit his egotistical personality.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
22 June 2025
-
But Cate mentioned obvious areas of interest such as housing, infrastructure, regulations, taxes and fees, trade and the overall cost of living.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 June 2025
Adjective
-
The pattern is unmistakable: just as Enron triggered SOX, AI governance failures will trigger mandatory expertise requirements.—
Steven Wolfe Pereira,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
-
The symbolism of the decision to target this base—the same one that U.S. President Donald Trump visited only two months ago during his tour of Gulf states, and one located in a country that maintains close ties to and shares an offshore gas field with Iran—is unmistakable.—
Dana Stroul,
Foreign Affairs,
23 June 2025
Adjective
-
Other Demographic Differences Women’s second fall persistence rate (79.3%) exceeded that of men (76.3%), continuing a trend that’s been apparent for several years.—
Michael T. Nietzel,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
-
Birdsong’s apparent beanball came in the exact time and place that the unwritten rules prescribe: two outs, bases empty, first pitch.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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This simple, clear shift in communication started to highlight the reality of who was contributing what.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
28 June 2025
-
To help guide you through the rest of summer and beyond, dermatologists help break down what body acne is, how to treat it, and the best kinds of products to have in rotation for smoother, clearer skin all over.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
28 June 2025
Adjective
-
Questions on straightforward topics, like high school history, produced up to six times fewer emissions than subjects like abstract algebra or philosophy, which required lengthy reasoning processes.—
Simmone Shah,
Time,
19 June 2025
-
Setup was straightforward, the sideboard was well padded and close to fully set up.—
Briana Feigon,
Architectural Digest,
19 June 2025
Adjective
-
While the divergence between the two is fair, its explanation lies elsewhere: Investor valuations and retail prices differ because they are driven by distinct fundamentals and considerations.—
Thibault Adrien,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
-
Regardless of how the Fendi role shakes up, Chavarria is leaving a distinct mark on the global fashion industry.—
Robyn Mowatt,
Essence,
23 June 2025
Adjective
-
The Turchin family’s lifelong passion for art and design was evident across all the rooms.—
Kate Van Dyke,
Travel + Leisure,
28 June 2025
-
That reality is evident almost just from the scale.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
Nationwide effort to promote the arts In 1965, a National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities was established, and Fort Worth was a significant contributor to this broader nationwide effort to promote progress and scholarship in the arts and humanities in the United States.—
Sara Pezzoni,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 June 2025
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But states, immigrants and rights groups that have sued to block the executive order have accused the administration of trying to unsettle the broader understanding of birthright citizenship that has been accepted since the amendment's adoption.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
28 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bright-line.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bright-line. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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