brilliance

noun

ˈbril-yən(t)s How to pronounce brilliance (audio)
Definition of brilliancenext
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of brilliance But finishing first and second in the model’s inaugural appearance confirmed the engineering brilliance of the 250 P’s mid-engine layout. — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 31 July 2026 The show’s brilliance is in its commitment to providing deep historical, political, and cultural analysis. — Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026 And basketball is, oh my God, a magical sport full of heart and brilliance. — Sean Gregory, Time, 23 July 2026 The Hole Truth And Nothing Butt, telling the story of these Texan wildmen and their real-life moments of brilliance and hilarity, with revelations of profound sadness. — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for brilliance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brilliance
  1. brilliancy
  2. majesty
  3. brightness
  4. glory
  5. lightness
  6. elegance
  7. magnificence
  8. nobility
Noun
  • The result is an incredible repository of vexations, bafflements, witticisms, and brilliancies.
    — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
  • 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
Definition of brilliancy
Noun
  • This Tour will be remembered as Pogačar in the midst of his majesty; a relentless march towards victory which felt all but assured within the first week.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 26 July 2026
  • The banks of the pool—at its best a scene of unparalleled American majesty—took on a sort of circus atmosphere as locals and tourists alike stopped by to see the disaster for themselves.
    — Matt Viser, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026
Definition of majesty
Noun
  • Between 2017 and 2023, Sickafoose's team probed Pluto's atmosphere during ten occultations of stars ranging in brightness from about magnitude 12 to magnitude 18, far below naked-eye visibility.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Saie’s Glowy Super Gel is a luminous, hydrating, primer-meets-base that truly gives the look of a post Euro-summer glow and brightness.
    — Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of brightness
Noun
  • Production designer Ryan Warren Smith (The Holdovers), costume designer Chloe Karmin (Succession), and music supervisor Mandy Mamlet (Challengers) were among the crew members tasked with restoring P-town to its glory, circa 1975.
    — Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Both of them have erotic fixations with that original Miasma, which requires stepping back into the movie — and the glories of the disreputable genre itself.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of glory
Noun
  • Gus Birney, Shulman’s real-life daughter, brings an ineffable lightness to Sarah Nell, the joyfulness and sweetness of the portrayal all the more wondrous before of all the darkness that surrounds it.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 10 Aug. 2026
  • What character does is govern how a person understands and inhabits these qualities with humanity, with justice, with humility, with the appropriate lightness of not confusing oneself for one’s category.
    — Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of lightness
Noun
  • Tassel accents make a great outfit anchor; what once adorned the home brings elegance and opulence to your wardrobe.
    — Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Nine-foot ceilings enhance the feeling of spaciousness on the first floor while hardwood flooring, used throughout much of the home, and impressive millwork that includes crown molding and chair rails, adds elegance.
    — James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of elegance
Noun
  • Upon being asked to bend the knee, Aegon delivers a fiery speech asserting his magnificence.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Without Trail Ridge, the Okefenokee would cease to exist in its present magnificence.
    — Charles Seabrook, AJC.com, 25 July 2026
Definition of magnificence
Noun
  • The idea is to portray them with the same nobility and dignity as the figures of the great masters.
    — Robbie Griffiths, NPR, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Along the way, Brees stared NFL QB nobility in the face and took each player down one by one.
    — Larry Holder, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of nobility

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brilliance
brilliancy
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Cite this Entry

“Brilliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brilliance. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on brilliance

Nglish: Translation of brilliance for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about brilliance

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