as in brightness
the quality or state of having or giving off light
the exceptional effulgence of the harvest moon is always a striking sight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 effulgence
Though the Star of Bethlehem has sunk, yet its sacred effulgence beams forth periodically, again and again, and a universe is filled with joy in honor of the Great Redeemer.
—
Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 23 Dec. 2024
Maggie Rogers paired her of-the-moment shag with natural notes—bare skin, freckles, grass—as elsewhere, Elle Fanning enjoyed the lit effects of golden hour, which took her complexion and blanched blonde to new levels of effulgence.
—Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 10 July 2022
Just ask Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex who took her lit-from-within skin to the next level yesterday with an ample swirl of roseate blush applied to transform her pregnancy glow into a full-on display of effulgence.
—Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2018
One part shimmery smoky eye, one part unexpected pressing of pigment, Lopez's eyeshadow plotted with her luminous skin and swipe of pale pink lipgloss to exude effulgence.
—Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 22 Jan. 2018
Absent from Van Noten’s three-decade career are stories of bankruptcy, strife, irresponsibility, overleverage, overexpansion, overspending or unhinged, dangerous effulgence.
—Hanya Yanagihara, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2017
Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 23 Dec. 2024
Maggie Rogers paired her of-the-moment shag with natural notes—bare skin, freckles, grass—as elsewhere, Elle Fanning enjoyed the lit effects of golden hour, which took her complexion and blanched blonde to new levels of effulgence.
—Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 10 July 2022
Just ask Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex who took her lit-from-within skin to the next level yesterday with an ample swirl of roseate blush applied to transform her pregnancy glow into a full-on display of effulgence.
—Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2018
One part shimmery smoky eye, one part unexpected pressing of pigment, Lopez's eyeshadow plotted with her luminous skin and swipe of pale pink lipgloss to exude effulgence.
—Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 22 Jan. 2018
Absent from Van Noten’s three-decade career are stories of bankruptcy, strife, irresponsibility, overleverage, overexpansion, overspending or unhinged, dangerous effulgence.
—Hanya Yanagihara, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for effulgence
Noun
-
This is equivalent to a quadrupling of sky brightness over the duration of a human childhood (18 years).—
Laurie Winkless,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
-
The team also compared the surface brightness of TOI 1227 with models of stellar evolution.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
18 July 2025
Noun
-
Pinnacle of splendor On Sunday morning, April 27, Venus comes up in total darkness while shining at its greatest brilliancy (magnitude –4.7).—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
4 Apr. 2025
-
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
Noun
-
After thinking of it as a separate musical idea, Moody realized that the character’s endless curiosity and moments of brilliance were at his heart.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
25 July 2025
-
Yet, individual brilliance means little without collaboration.—
David Faris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 July 2025
Noun
-
Has more of that Innocent Man lightness and exuberance than most of the stuff on his later records, and benefits from it.—
Christopher Bonanos,
Vulture,
18 July 2025
-
Gaura: With its wispy, butterfly-like blossoms, gaura adds lightness and motion to garden beds.—
Lauren Dunec Hoang,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Effulgence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/effulgence. Accessed 31 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share