as in brilliancy
the quality or state of having or giving off light
the brightness of the sunshine made me squint after an afternoon spent in a darkened movie theater
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Recent Examples of brightness
In a telescope, Jupiter appears around 2½ times wider than Venus, but of much lower surface brightness.
—
Joe Rao, Space.com, 1 June 2026
The moon was roughly 50,000 kilometers farther from Earth than during a typical supermoon, reducing its apparent size and brightness.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
This time of year is all about leaning into brightness, whether that means a solid pop of color, a cat-eye shimmer, or a chrome finish with extra shine.
—Amanda Le, InStyle, 31 May 2026
Observers can then estimate the boundaries of a galaxy’s main body as where this surface brightness blends into the brightness of the background sky.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for brightness
Joe Rao, Space.com, 1 June 2026
The moon was roughly 50,000 kilometers farther from Earth than during a typical supermoon, reducing its apparent size and brightness.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
This time of year is all about leaning into brightness, whether that means a solid pop of color, a cat-eye shimmer, or a chrome finish with extra shine.
—Amanda Le, InStyle, 31 May 2026
Observers can then estimate the boundaries of a galaxy’s main body as where this surface brightness blends into the brightness of the background sky.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for brightness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brightness
Noun
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So, astronomers have come up with a compromise regarding the geometry of the sun's illumination angle on Venus' disk versus its distance from Earth to determine the time of Venus' greatest brilliancy.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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Family circles will have wrapped themselves in the holy pleasures of the great occasion, and everywhere the grand old holiday will have been introduced with all the majesty and brilliancy which clings around the hallowed name of Christmas.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American-Statesman,
23 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
This month, San Francisco Opera returns to Richard Strauss’s 1909 take on Greek tragedy with a score that reflects the composer’s brilliance in an enduring thriller.—
Randy McMullen,
Mercury News,
4 June 2026
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You’re known for your brilliance and hyper-logical mind, but your nervous system is screaming right now.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
4 June 2026
Noun
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There are tons of spa treatments, all on the affordable side, ranging from an abdominal relaxation ritual for digestive lightness to cranial drainage for migraine relief.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
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The key here is texture, which is worked in to give the hair life, movement, and lightness.—
Vanessa Santos,
Glamour,
1 June 2026
Noun
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These thoughtful details extend beyond aesthetics; outdoor lighting is turtle-friendly, ensuring that nesting sea turtles and their hatchlings are guided by moonlight back into the water rather than artificial illumination.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
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Crossed spears of sunlight fall into it but only so far, and beneath their yellow illuminations Brith can see depths and more depths of water, darkening to obscurity.—
Maggie O’Farrell,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
Noun
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That suggests the rules governing black hole luminosity haven’t changed in at least 13 billion years.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
27 May 2026
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While Russia has claimed GDP expanded by about 13% between 2020 and 2024, Sweden’s analysis of nighttime luminosity suggests the economy actually shrank by 8% during that span.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
24 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brightness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brightness. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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