1
as in bright
in a manner marked by the shining or reflecting of much light
the light glowed brightly
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cheerfully
in a cheerful or happy manner
"And how are we today?" the nurse asked brightly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in colorfully
in a manner that is colorful and tends to arouse gaiety
parade marchers carrying brightly painted banners
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brightly
In the brightly billboarded carcass of a West Coast city, private security shields the corporate enclaves of a tech élite from the shantytowns of the economically superfluous.
—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
This could be anything from a sticker or patch to a ribbon—or something that does double duty, such as these brightly colored neoprene handle wraps.
—Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
The blues and greens of the Seahawks’ logo don’t match either species, with some saying the art instead nods to the brightly colored ceremonial masks of Seattle’s Indigenous communities.
—Jenna Ahart, Scientific American, 6 Feb. 2026
Now Larsson gets her own chance to shine, doing so in a much clubbier setting built around dazzling, brightly colored outfits and eye-popping lighting.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 6 Feb. 2026
Under Reynolds, Hawaiian Punch went from a cocktail mixer to a brightly colored children’s drink in innovative packaging now known as the juice box.
—Sarah Todd, STAT, 6 Feb. 2026
Pink and blue are the main colors featured in this year's brightly colored logo; however, since no teams have pink in their jerseys, the main colors are blue, green, and yellow.
—Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Dunn’s star shone too brightly to be overlooked, yet her status on the USWNT was essentially set as a defender.
—Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Anya Taylor-Joy, a Dior global brand ambassador, was holding court in a fairytale-worthy custom gown adorned with embellishments—her lips shining brightly.
—Kelsey Stewart, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2026
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
This could be anything from a sticker or patch to a ribbon—or something that does double duty, such as these brightly colored neoprene handle wraps.
—Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
The blues and greens of the Seahawks’ logo don’t match either species, with some saying the art instead nods to the brightly colored ceremonial masks of Seattle’s Indigenous communities.
—Jenna Ahart, Scientific American, 6 Feb. 2026
Now Larsson gets her own chance to shine, doing so in a much clubbier setting built around dazzling, brightly colored outfits and eye-popping lighting.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 6 Feb. 2026
Under Reynolds, Hawaiian Punch went from a cocktail mixer to a brightly colored children’s drink in innovative packaging now known as the juice box.
—Sarah Todd, STAT, 6 Feb. 2026
Pink and blue are the main colors featured in this year's brightly colored logo; however, since no teams have pink in their jerseys, the main colors are blue, green, and yellow.
—Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Dunn’s star shone too brightly to be overlooked, yet her status on the USWNT was essentially set as a defender.
—Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Anya Taylor-Joy, a Dior global brand ambassador, was holding court in a fairytale-worthy custom gown adorned with embellishments—her lips shining brightly.
—Kelsey Stewart, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brightly
Adverb
-
Tim was a fiercely, cheerfully competitive kid—whether playing board games with his two older sisters or every sport under the sun with his big brothers.—
Taylor Antrim,
Vogue,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Today, Lamont operates cheerfully as the dominant figure in state politics and government.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
7 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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Elegantly lensed and colorfully designed, this film noir time capsule has shades of both Chinatown and In the Mood for Love, setting an impossible romance against the corrupt backdrop of Ferdinand Marcos’ dictatorship circa 1979.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Feb. 2026
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With their imposing bulk, elegant curves, colorfully painted sterns, and ornate decorations, the vessels were among the most distinctive and beautiful ships on the seas.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Bogdanovich’s breakthrough came in 1971 with The Last Picture Show, an ensemble drama about growing up in a small Texas town, sensitively told and luminously shot.—
Lili Anolik,
Vanity Fair,
12 Jan. 2026
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Tarr went on to direct the accomplished The Man From London, which starred Tilda Swinton, before retiring after The Turin Horse, a luminously stark period chamber drama about a father and his adult daughter living alone in the barren Hungarian countryside over the span of about a week.—
Tim Grierson,
Rolling Stone,
6 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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The turtle, now named Porkchop for her voracious appetite, is now happily recovering at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
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The restaurant happily accommodated our request for mocktail pairings instead of ones with alcohol.—
John Newton,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brightly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brightly. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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