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
-
AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tom Kines told Newsweek the most obvious impact from the smoke would be hazy skies, which could contribute to visually beautiful sunrises and sunsets in the affected areas.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
-
But in terms of the excitement and electricity, the parallels between Verlander and Skubal are obvious.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
Adjective
-
The gravity of the moment was unmistakable — the consequences of a loss, and the eventual magnitude of a win.—
Anthony De Leon,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2025
-
In a market defined by uncertainty, the bond market’s message is unmistakable: brace for impact.—
Dan Irvine,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
Adjective
-
The man dropped to the ground and was arrested without any apparent resistance in the video that Osante filmed.—
Colleen Slevin,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2025
-
Wolff did admit that seeing the positives were difficult, aside from the apparent step in tire management.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
2 June 2025
Adjective
-
The clear, neutral spirit has dominated American liquor sales for decades, far surpassing whiskey, which once enjoyed an unchallenged status as the nation's preferred spirit.—
Time,
Time,
4 June 2025
-
Confusion The back-and-forth on updating the disaster plan and a lack of clear strategic guidance have created confusion for FEMA staff, said one source.—
Leah Douglas,
USA Today,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
Their more straightforward approach is closer to documentary drama, but the effect is not so disparate.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
6 June 2025
-
All that aside, even without the system transfer, using my Switch 2 has been smooth and straightforward.—
Ollie Barder,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
There is a distinct difference between the two eras.—
Ralph D. Russo,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
-
Within such simulations, there will be three distinct participant groups: 1.—
Ivan Shvaichenko,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
Koenig noted in her report that the Emergency Department at Waterbury Hospital was crowded and the need for expansion as planned was evident.—
Livi Stanford,
Hartford Courant,
4 June 2025
-
A lot of Isaacman's intellect and thought on these issues was evident in the podcast.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
Perkins argued that these broad non-disparagement clauses can have the same effect as an NDA.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
4 June 2025
-
Through smart contracts, brands can automate reward logic, personalize journeys and offer benefits across a broader partner network.—
Charles Morey,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bright-line.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bright-line. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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