as in brightness
the quality or state of having or giving off light
the brilliancy of the diamond is shown to good effect by the museum's lighting
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Recent Examples of brilliancy
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
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
The Red Planet, shining at magnitude –1.4, is 40° to the east-northeast, and the king of planets, Jove, still near its greatest brilliancy for the year at magnitude –2.8, lies 46° west-southwest of Luna.
—
Michael E. Bakich,
Discover Magazine,
7 Nov. 2022
Set emerald green against bright white to highlight its brilliancy.
—
Jessica Bennett,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Jan. 2022
Tonight also sees Venus is at greatest brilliancy, so get eyes-on with the second planet from the Sun right after sunset.
—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes,
5 Dec. 2021
One of these stars may rise from almost invisibility to a brilliance equaling 100,000,000 times the brilliancy of our sun, although, of course, such super novae are so far away that the estimates can be made only with telescopes.
—
Popular Mechanics Editors,
Popular Mechanics,
17 Dec. 2020
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
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
The Red Planet, shining at magnitude –1.4, is 40° to the east-northeast, and the king of planets, Jove, still near its greatest brilliancy for the year at magnitude –2.8, lies 46° west-southwest of Luna.
—
Michael E. Bakich,
Discover Magazine,
7 Nov. 2022
Set emerald green against bright white to highlight its brilliancy.
—
Jessica Bennett,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Jan. 2022
Tonight also sees Venus is at greatest brilliancy, so get eyes-on with the second planet from the Sun right after sunset.
—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes,
5 Dec. 2021
One of these stars may rise from almost invisibility to a brilliance equaling 100,000,000 times the brilliancy of our sun, although, of course, such super novae are so far away that the estimates can be made only with telescopes.
—
Popular Mechanics Editors,
Popular Mechanics,
17 Dec. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brilliancy
Noun
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Astronomers repeatedly attempted to fit subtle shifts in the brightness of T CrB to the few points of reliable historical data on offer, while accounting for fluctuations in the white dwarf's feeding rate.
-
Green, in soft shades from sage to pistachio, is a new neutral that adds nice brightness to a spring wardrobe.
Noun
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Perhaps not even his cautious approach can shackle the brilliance of this squad.
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His individual brilliance translated to team success, as Manchester City won a continental treble (victories in the Premier League championship; the Football Association (FA) Cup, England’s annual knockout tournament; and the Champions League) for the first time.
Noun
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The collection expressed an idea of contemporary simplicity, built through precise proportions, evolved materials and a new visual lightness.
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Choose Furniture With Raised Legs McClain creates visual lightness by choosing seating that is raised up from the floor.
Cite this Entry
“Brilliancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brilliancy. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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