1
as in brilliancy
the quality or state of having or giving off light
the brilliance of the flash from the camera was so intense that I was blinded for a moment afterwards
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in majesty
impressiveness of beauty on a large scale
the brilliance of the palace is really quite staggering
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brilliance
His was an innings of belligerent brilliance.
—
Tim Spiers, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Of course, the Longhorns derived some of their success from Manning’s individual brilliance.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 2 Jan. 2026
This is an ideal time to reflect on the brilliance, resilience and outstanding achievements of trailblazers like Mara Brock Akil to Angel Reese to Ursula Burns, to be reminded of what is possible.
—Essence, 2 Jan. 2026
Other people’s brilliance really is the worst.
—Stat Staff, STAT, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brilliance
Tim Spiers, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Of course, the Longhorns derived some of their success from Manning’s individual brilliance.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 2 Jan. 2026
This is an ideal time to reflect on the brilliance, resilience and outstanding achievements of trailblazers like Mara Brock Akil to Angel Reese to Ursula Burns, to be reminded of what is possible.
—Essence, 2 Jan. 2026
Other people’s brilliance really is the worst.
—Stat Staff, STAT, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brilliance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brilliance
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
-
Want to capture the majesty of the night sky for yourself?—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
6 Jan. 2026
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By turns greeting visitors and barring their entry to the museum, the performers animated the building while desacralizing the quasi-religious majesty and vaulted proportions of Mies’s design.—
Javier Montes,
Artforum,
1 Jan. 2026
Noun
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To put its change in brightness into perspective, the brightest observed x-ray flare from Sagittarius A* happened in 2013, but that event had only 1 percent of the brightness of what the black hole may have emitted perhaps as recently as a few hundred years ago, Michail says.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
13 Jan. 2026
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This summer, the Lab was chock full of gear, with clever, innovative tests for everything from backpack comfort to headlamp brightness.—
Adam Trenkamp,
Outside,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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As Oscar season ramps up, the 83rd Golden Globe Awards will fete a variety of movies and TV shows, plus give needed momentum to contenders aiming for glory at March 15's Academy Awards ceremony.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
12 Jan. 2026
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But Erivo is in it for the glory, not the fame, and will be missing out on the big show.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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To assess the roots, carefully remove the plant from its pot and examine them for firmness, lightness, and suppleness.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
8 Jan. 2026
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But with Rawayana, depth is always masked by lightness.—
Leonor C. Suárez,
Rolling Stone,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Designed with a flat pocket, zip pocket, and even a key holder, this crossbody keeps all your travel necessities neatly organized without sacrificing elegance.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Jan. 2026
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While Johansson's ensemble channeled simple elegance, her beauty look brought more casual ease.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But even setting aside the continued sartorial magnificence of Alan Cumming and his stylish sidekick, The Traitors’s entertainment value as a social experiment keeps on rising.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
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The magnificence of mesquite is on full display.—
Suzanne Wright,
USA Today,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Long Names for Boys Often tied to strength, heritage, and tradition, long names for boys are sometimes tied to nobility.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
13 Jan. 2026
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Its medical professionals aren’t just competent but morally perfect, their personal failings serving mainly to make their essential nobility more tangible.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brilliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brilliance. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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