bright 1 of 2

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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

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bright

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adverb

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bright colors
vivid colors
vibrant colors
brilliant colors
bold colors
loud colors
a bright day
a sunny day
a clear day
a brilliant day
a dazzling day
a sunshiny day
a bright future
a good future
a hopeful future
a brilliant future
a vibrant future
a sunny future
bright students
smart students
intelligent students
sharp students
brilliant students
brainy students

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
Yet new supermoons are essentially invisible to Earthlings unlike their brighter full supermoon counterparts. Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025 Stargazers are familiar with half a dozen or so bright meteor showers that return with unerring regularity every year — April's Lyrids, August's Perseids, Decembers's Geminids and others. Keith Cooper, Space.com, 25 Apr. 2025 Rissa approached him wearing a bright red dress, and Jay was instantly enamored by her. Dory Jackson, People.com, 25 Apr. 2025 Murillo remains one of the brightest defensive talents in Europe. Paul Taylor, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bright
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bright
Adjective
  • Her next shining moment comes when two young sisters enter the hospital.
    Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • There were definitely moments that were less shining than others for me.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • After congratulating the pregnant women, the husband and wife turn their attention to a cheerful Aisha.
    Angel Saunders, People.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The relaxed fit keeps it comfortable for all-day wear, and the sunny shade adds a cheerful touch to otherwise neutral travel basics.
    Becca Blond, Travel + Leisure, 1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Yes, Love Hotel might be Bravo’s most emotionally intelligent experiment yet.
    Shelby Stewart, Essence, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Talos, Pandora and other artificially intelligent entities had already set the stage for humans to explore this idea.
    Sofia Giannuzzi, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • His promising skill set will fit both even and odd fronts.
    Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
  • The Accountant is hoping for at a second-place finish with a promising $23 million-$25 million after scoring strong reviews and exit scores, including an A- CinemaScore.
    Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Weekly, relative strength and seasonality are both favorable.
    Bill Sarubbi, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Katz sees the possibility for additional P/E multiple expansion, driven by robust/more consistent management execution, favorable organic growth dynamics, notable operating leverage, and rapid improvement in balance sheet flexibility.
    TipRanks.com Staff, CNBC, 27 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Her thirty-five-year corporate journey has been marked by outstanding achievement and transformative influence.
    Mamie Jones, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Although single motherhood was challenging, Henson has a moving story and created an outstanding life for herself despite the odds.
    Essence, Essence, 28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • These instructions foregrounded a paradox in Francis’s radiant personality.
    Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2025
  • The Rockets are one of the NBA’s premier overachievers and have a radiant future.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Just like the name suggests, this moisture-wicking dress was designed to keep you cool on sunny, blisteringly hot days.
    Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Your skin is exposed to UV rays both on cold, cloudy days and sunny ones.
    Carrie Madormo, RN, MPH, Verywell Health, 30 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bright.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bright. Accessed 3 May. 2025.

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