1
as in dazzling
giving off or reflecting much light
a brilliant chandelier graces the hotel lobby
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clever
having or showing quickness of mind
a brilliant boy who left for college at the age of 16
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in prominent
likely to attract attention
a brilliant example of government waste
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in gem
a usually valuable stone cut and polished for ornament
the diamond cutter set out an array of brilliants to show the various ways the diamond could be cut
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brilliant
Henry Bushnell,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
Smith often used celestial motifs in his work, notably in the song 'Shooting Star,' which, in hindsight, symbolizes his brief but brilliant light.
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Chelsea Gohd,
Space.com,
20 June 2026
This week, the World Cup is afoot, a brilliant pun that, startlingly, Google says hasn't been used hundreds of times!
—
Holly J. Morris,
NPR,
19 June 2026
Leadership is the difference between a mob and an army, between a collection of musicians and an orchestra, between a set of brilliant individuals and an actually functional organisation.
—
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for brilliant
Adjective
There was no one moment of individual brilliance, no Pulisic needed, just a brilliant sequence of actions by players who now seem tied together by strings.
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Henry Bushnell,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
Smith often used celestial motifs in his work, notably in the song 'Shooting Star,' which, in hindsight, symbolizes his brief but brilliant light.
—
Chelsea Gohd,
Space.com,
20 June 2026
This week, the World Cup is afoot, a brilliant pun that, startlingly, Google says hasn't been used hundreds of times!
—
Holly J. Morris,
NPR,
19 June 2026
Leadership is the difference between a mob and an army, between a collection of musicians and an orchestra, between a set of brilliant individuals and an actually functional organisation.
—
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for brilliant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brilliant
Adjective
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Vinícius Junior scored a dazzling one in Brazil’s opener.
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There was a dazzling array of sneakers in every hue under the sun, including at least one pair adorned with gold sequins.
Adjective
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This is an Edwardian- inspired new build, so the rooms are large (starting at 290 square feet) with clever details throughout, such as reassuringly spacious showers and barista-style Morning coffee machines—a welcome upgrade on noisy Nespresso units.
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With a boost from Randy Newman’s clever score, the Buzz Lightyear sections are hilarious.
Adjective
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His father, Manuel Cepeda, was a prominent figure in the Colombian Communist Party, and was assassinated in 1994 during a particularly bloody era in Colombia's internal conflict.
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The chatbot’s responses include citations and prominent links to news outlets.
Noun
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For a mid-day warm-up, itineraries highlight cozy neighborhood gems like Drekkamun—a new spot in Kollafjørður whose name translates directly from Faroese as ‘a cup of tea or coffee’—or the brand-new Café Otto, tucked away at the national art museum following a peaceful walk through a local park.
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Chisholm said that after Schlittler spun yet another gem, holding the middling Reds to four hits, a hit-by-pitch and zero walks over six scoreless innings in a 5-0 win for the Yankees.
Adjective
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The observations seem to nail down the theory that clusters of hot, massive, luminous stars in young galaxies in the early universe played a dominant role in ionizing the universe's neutral gas.
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Makeup artist Tracey Levy utilized Beauty Pie products for the actress’ luminous visage.
Adjective
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The human brain is the ultimate existence proof that intelligent systems that are vastly more energy-efficient than today’s AI are physically possible.
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It was revered for its intelligent satire of modern society and materialism, providing sight gags and slapstick humor for kids while proving relatable for young adults learning to navigate life.
Adjective
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Evolutionary cues, emotional encoding and genetics all converge in how partners experience each other’s smell, and a noticeable shift in that experience may be worth paying attention to.
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After 12 weeks, the results suggested that a tiny dose of regular exercise could yield noticeable physical benefits.
Noun
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The figures for the first time give the public a concrete idea about the King’s personal wealth, as opposed to the castles, jewels and artwork that go with the job but aren’t the monarch’s personal property.
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What will be interesting to see is if Samsung’s new display jewel-in-the-crown, the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s privacy screen, makes it into the Galaxy S27 Pro.
Cite this Entry
“Brilliant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brilliant. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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