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
Ripa kept it fun and simple with a brightly colored pink shark costume to bring the viral children's tune to life with a fun twist.
—
Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
The two met at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee and the two stars on display – Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks and Jalen Brunson of the Knicks – shone brightly.
—Ben Morse, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
During the nighttime low-tide surveys, researchers scoured the various pools and found a brightly colored sea slug, the study said.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
At just 51 years old, D’Angelo joined the ranks of many Black luminaries who shined brightly but not long.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 18 Oct. 2025
Adding the brightly colored ground to the paintings gives the whole thing a lit-from-within aura.
—Grace Edquist, Vogue, 15 Oct. 2025
Two light festivals are kicking off in the Bay Area with impressive public art, including a series that will shine brightly at eight stories tall.
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Thus, the spotlight shines brightly at a school like Penn State, where the money for the next head coach is also liable to be enormous.
—Max Dible, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
The Americans started brightly and confidently, getting control in midfield and probing with intent, but chances were rare, with the first real effort somewhat accidental as Zavier Gozo’s cross from the left clipped the top of the bar.
—The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
The two met at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee and the two stars on display – Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks and Jalen Brunson of the Knicks – shone brightly.
—Ben Morse, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
During the nighttime low-tide surveys, researchers scoured the various pools and found a brightly colored sea slug, the study said.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
At just 51 years old, D’Angelo joined the ranks of many Black luminaries who shined brightly but not long.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 18 Oct. 2025
Adding the brightly colored ground to the paintings gives the whole thing a lit-from-within aura.
—Grace Edquist, Vogue, 15 Oct. 2025
Two light festivals are kicking off in the Bay Area with impressive public art, including a series that will shine brightly at eight stories tall.
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Thus, the spotlight shines brightly at a school like Penn State, where the money for the next head coach is also liable to be enormous.
—Max Dible, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
The Americans started brightly and confidently, getting control in midfield and probing with intent, but chances were rare, with the first real effort somewhat accidental as Zavier Gozo’s cross from the left clipped the top of the bar.
—The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brightly
Adverb
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The hostess seemed to accept this quite cheerfully and, in fact, expect the mess.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Oct. 2025
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No Mob boss, cheerfully decreeing that an inconvenient witness be rubbed out, could be more resolute.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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That was colorfully communicated this week by JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon , who said there may be more cockroaches in the industry after the country’s largest bank took sizeable charge-offs in the third quarter for exposure to Tricolor.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
17 Oct. 2025
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Shot in a colorfully naturalistic style by Irina Lubtchansky (My Golden Days), the film occasionally switches to what looks like Super 8mm, capturing the action more intimately and playfully.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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Long was really grateful at his offer and happily accepted.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
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Hemsworth gets one big monologue, describing a nightmare in which Ciri is happily dancing with Death, and does a fine job with it.—
Scott Meslow,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brightly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brightly. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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