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
Adrienne Jordan, Martha Stewart, 8 May 2026
So we’re probably doomed to endless toxic feedback loops unless someone hits upon a brilliant fundamental redesign that manages to change those dynamics.
—ArsTechnica, 7 May 2026
These flashes are brilliant but fleeting, lasting only a fraction of a second.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 May 2026
By themselves, these extreme subatomic affairs didn’t seem to be abundant enough to account for the brilliant gamma rays lighting up storm clouds.
—Quanta Magazine, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for brilliant
Adjective
Once a go-to shrub for its brilliant fall color, burning bush (Euonymus alatus) is now widely recognized as invasive.
—Adrienne Jordan, Martha Stewart, 8 May 2026
So we’re probably doomed to endless toxic feedback loops unless someone hits upon a brilliant fundamental redesign that manages to change those dynamics.
—ArsTechnica, 7 May 2026
These flashes are brilliant but fleeting, lasting only a fraction of a second.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 May 2026
By themselves, these extreme subatomic affairs didn’t seem to be abundant enough to account for the brilliant gamma rays lighting up storm clouds.
—Quanta Magazine, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for brilliant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brilliant
Adjective
-
In the garden, bumblebees, hummingbirds, and butterflies can be found flitting among the dazzling blooms.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
-
Experimental, playful and dazzling, the EGOT winner’s best fashion moments have featured at awards shows, red carpets and more.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
Its hero is Miss Maple, certainly the cleverest sheep in the flock, probably the cleverest sheep in the village of Glennkill, and maybe the cleverest sheep in the world.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
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But this is a clever essay about making sense of the ambiguous advice that people love to dispense, from someone who is willing to explain which ones actually proved helpful to his own film journey.—
Dana Harris-Bridson,
IndieWire,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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With the House vote on Monday, Duterte, who comes from one of the country’s most prominent political dynasties, became the first official in the Southeast Asian country’s history to be impeached twice.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
11 May 2026
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In a hall occasionally pierced by air-raid sirens warning of Russian strikes, the event has united Ukraine’s most prominent galleries, artists, collectors, and cultural institutions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
The comment reignited global debate over the gem’s origins, its transfer to British hands during the colonial era and decades‑long calls from countries across South Asia for its repatriation.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
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The statement counts double for the Aeolian Islands and triple for the island of Alicudi, a gem in the Mediterranean Sea that has been a refuge for my family for 34 years.—
Chiara Barzini,
Vogue,
9 May 2026
Adjective
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The gothic building, opened in 1927, was first named Hammerstein's Theatre in honor of owner Arthur Hammerstein’s father, Oscar Hammerstein I, who helped develop New York’s luminous Times Square.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
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Try the entire collection, which includes a 16-shadow palette, luminous blush, and two brushes for less than $90.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
The next is making the grid intelligent enough to absorb that power at scale—flexible, predictive, and reliable.—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
-
An immersive, intelligent debut.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
Windows Central has tested the low latency profile available in test builds of Windows 11 and observed a noticeable increase in speed and responsiveness on the same hardware compared to the current public version of Windows 11 25H2.—
Andrew Cunningham,
ArsTechnica,
12 May 2026
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That difference is even more noticeable in real-world kitchens, where oils are often left at high heat for hours, Gruel said.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Noun
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Her sculptural face is framed by a crown of fabric wrapped around her head and is dripping with jewels.—
Julissa James,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
The shoes went with her couture Maison Margiela dress, which was jewel-embellished and featured a crinkly circular feature framing her.—
Jaden Thompson,
Footwear News,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brilliant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brilliant. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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