Definition of lustrousnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective lustrous differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of lustrous are bright, brilliant, luminous, and radiant. While all these words mean "shining or glowing with light," lustrous stresses an even, rich light from a surface that reflects brightly without glittering.

When might bright be a better fit than lustrous?

The words bright and lustrous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, bright implies emitting or reflecting a high degree of light.

When would brilliant be a good substitute for lustrous?

While the synonyms brilliant and lustrous are close in meaning, brilliant implies intense often sparkling brightness.

When is luminous a more appropriate choice than lustrous?

The synonyms luminous and lustrous are sometimes interchangeable, but luminous implies emission of steady, suffused, glowing light by reflection or in surrounding darkness.

When could radiant be used to replace lustrous?

The words radiant and lustrous can be used in similar contexts, but radiant stresses the emission or seeming emission of rays of light.

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 lustrous Restore a lustrous shine to your hair with this nourishing hair oil from Sol de Janeiro. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 9 July 2026 The ornate dress hit just above the ankle, revealing a pair of metallic gold pumps with a lustrous finish. Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 5 July 2026 The design house has collaborated with esteemed names ranging from Zaha Hadid to Verner Panton and is best known for its lustrous silver tabletop pieces. Angela Tafoya, Architectural Digest, 23 June 2026 This is why many pregnant women notice a particularly thick and lustrous mane. Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for lustrous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lustrous
Adjective
  • In the clip, the luminous actress walks into a room in a white ensemble with her arms crossed over her stomach.
    Morgan Evans, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Don Nelson, who became the NBA’s leader in coaching wins and twice lifted the Warriors from the pits of competitive despair into the playoffs during a luminous half-century pro basketball life, died Sunday.
    Carl Steward, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • So despite being only slightly older than Penders is now, both men were far more seasoned and polished.
    Matt Pyzdrowski, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Final Thoughts The Qidi Max 4 feels like a machine designed for people who care more about capability, material flexibility, and printing large, functional parts than chasing a perfectly polished consumer-appliance experience.
    Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 15 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Not just his dazzling skill and intentionality on the ball, but off of it, too, in a pressing, high-energy team.
    Thom Harris, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The Perseid meteor shower peaked last night in spectacular fashion, dazzling stargazers as countless shooting stars blazed overhead mere hours after a total solar eclipse saw the lunar disk hide the sun over Greenland, Iceland and Spain.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Shot on location in Alberta, Canada, the blooming grasslands, breathtaking sunrises, glistening rivers and immense mountaintops are characters in their own right, often pulling audiences in when the storyline itself is drastically lacking.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Styled by Leslie Fremar, the actress wore a glistening silver dress made entirely of shredded metallic fringing that dangled around her body.
    Meg Walters, InStyle, 31 July 2026
Adjective
  • At a time of so much partisanship in Congress, especially related to health care, breakthrough legislation is a shining example of how commonsense policies that support patient care and innovation can achieve broad support.
    Josh Makower, STAT, 16 Mar. 2026
  • Those memories will remain some of the most shining and unforgettable moments of my life.
    Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Her long, glossy hair was swept dramatically over to one side, with lots of lift at the roots and big, soft waves cascading down to her ribs.
    Marci Robin, Allure, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The salon is painted Benjamin Moore’s moody Tamarind, with a glossy coat on the ceiling, a perfect contrast to the ochre mohair upholstery of a pair of 1960s Olivier Mourgue Montreal chairs.
    Hannah Martin, Architectural Digest, 14 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • After the leaves fall, the orange, sweet fruit remains on the branches, resembling glowing lanterns.
    SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Below, shop nine incredible beauty products straight from her shelf and prepare to get healthy, smooth, and absolutely glowing skin.
    Olivia Cefalu, InStyle, 9 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Still, a visit to Meyers’ sleek apartment, admittedly paid for by his parents, confirms for Ed the kind of youthful privilege at play here, so unlike the scrappier downtown bohemia of his own artistic heyday.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • But before even touching a heat tool, the sleekest and shiniest looks require a clean and hydrated base, especially when coming out of protective styles.
    Brianna J. Heath, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Lustrous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lustrous. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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