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
The stars burn brightly here, shielded from light pollution and city glare, and the rock formations are eerily beautiful in silhouette.
—
Tamara Gane, Travel + Leisure, 15 June 2026
As a broadcast meteorologist at Kansas City’s local station KCXE, Margaret is frequently on air wearing the seemingly requisite brightly colored, body-con dresses so many people associate with the classic local news anchor lewk.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 12 June 2026
Venus and Jupiter are still glimmering brightly together in the western sky after sunset, so do yourself a favor and head outside tonight!
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026
Surrounding sculptures, assemblages and brightly colored forms make the space feel part sanctuary, part dreamscape.
—Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 11 June 2026
Because of the black hole's immense gravitational forces, an AGN glows very brightly.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 8 June 2026
Deciding on a solution to the long-running turtle tizzy at I-95’s Exit 42, where 100-foot-tall light towers burn so brightly experts say the glow disrupts sea turtle nesting on beaches 12 miles away, has state and local government officials at loggerheads.
—Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 8 June 2026
For many, the preservation of this traditional craft is a way to heal historical wounds and look brightly to the future.
—Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026
Because designers wanted the watch to glow in the dark — incredibly brightly, and for a long time.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 27 May 2026
Tamara Gane, Travel + Leisure, 15 June 2026
As a broadcast meteorologist at Kansas City’s local station KCXE, Margaret is frequently on air wearing the seemingly requisite brightly colored, body-con dresses so many people associate with the classic local news anchor lewk.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 12 June 2026
Venus and Jupiter are still glimmering brightly together in the western sky after sunset, so do yourself a favor and head outside tonight!
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026
Surrounding sculptures, assemblages and brightly colored forms make the space feel part sanctuary, part dreamscape.
—Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 11 June 2026
Because of the black hole's immense gravitational forces, an AGN glows very brightly.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 8 June 2026
Deciding on a solution to the long-running turtle tizzy at I-95’s Exit 42, where 100-foot-tall light towers burn so brightly experts say the glow disrupts sea turtle nesting on beaches 12 miles away, has state and local government officials at loggerheads.
—Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 8 June 2026
For many, the preservation of this traditional craft is a way to heal historical wounds and look brightly to the future.
—Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026
Because designers wanted the watch to glow in the dark — incredibly brightly, and for a long time.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 27 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brightly
Adverb
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Others are luminously, freakishly beautiful, in ways that seem designed to appeal to beings from other solar systems.—
Rosa Lyster,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
-
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
Adverb
-
Golden retrievers remained cheerfully oblivious as usual.—
Pat Beall,
Sun Sentinel,
12 June 2026
-
Among other curiosities were Matthew Howard and Joseph Pereira cheerfully pulverizing Philip Glass’ Fantasy Concerto for Two Timpanists and Orchestra, as well as Boris Allakhverdyan suavely ghosting jazz legend Artie Shaw in his Clarinet Concerto.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Adverb
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Mabe Fratti and Bill Orcutt’s collaboration didn’t begin colorfully or dramatically; Fratti just liked Orcutt and said so publicly, prompting Orcutt to reach out, which resulted in their working—remotely, mostly—on a series of pieces.—
Jayson Greene,
Pitchfork,
2 June 2026
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Lifetime Achievement Award-winner Poltz was colorfully introduced by his longtime musician friend, former San Diego Padres second baseman and third base coach Tim Flannery.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 May 2026
Adverb
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Regardless of the extent of Rose’s presence, fans are hoping for her and Peter to get a happy ending the way George Clooney’s ER return for Julianna Margulies’ final episode gave their characters Doug and Carol a happily ever after.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
12 June 2026
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One thing that has shifted since Sendak’s heyday, however, is our baseline of assumptions about how much kids are reading, or how well or how happily, or to what extent the culture that surrounds them is fundamentally hostile to reading.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brightly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brightly. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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