[go: up one dir, main page]

brilliant 1 of 2

1
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

brilliant

2 of 2

noun

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

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective brilliant differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of brilliant are bright, luminous, lustrous, and radiant. While all these words mean "shining or glowing with light," brilliant implies intense often sparkling brightness.

When could bright be used to replace brilliant?

While in some cases nearly identical to brilliant, bright implies emitting or reflecting a high degree of light.

When is it sensible to use luminous instead of brilliant?

While the synonyms luminous and brilliant are close in meaning, luminous implies emission of steady, suffused, glowing light by reflection or in surrounding darkness.

When would lustrous be a good substitute for brilliant?

The words lustrous and brilliant can be used in similar contexts, but lustrous stresses an even, rich light from a surface that reflects brightly without glittering.

Where would radiant be a reasonable alternative to brilliant?

Although the words radiant and brilliant have much in common, 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 brilliant
Adjective
To one day find itself in the hands of the brilliant Sam Gold, the powerhouse talent of John Krasinski and the fantastic folk at Studio Seaview. Greg Evans, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2025 An aluminum can is a brilliant thing to recycle, but a lot of things are actually quite difficult to recycle. Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2025 Nemesis is the story of two men on either side of the law, the tale of what happens when an unstoppable force (an expert criminal), Coltrane Wilder (Noel), meets an immovable object (a brilliant police detective), Isaiah Stiles (Law). Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2025 The actor also has various business ventures, including being a founder and brewer at All-Wise Meadery and co-founder of the high-protein yogurt-like product Thor’s Skyr, along with Terry Crews. 02 of 08 Cole Sprouse (Cody) Cole Sprouse plays Zack’s brilliant twin brother Cody. Skyler Trepel, EW.com, 18 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for brilliant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brilliant
Adjective
  • The films that benefit the most from PLF ticket sales have been Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters, as audiences want to see explosive action movies and dazzling spectacles in the most state-of-the-art locations.
    Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2025
  • The Gamecocks were tested by Clark’s dazzling displays, drawing viewership ratings that dwarfed even 2023’s high standards.
    Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The digital device is exhausted, the runtime stretches a tad too long, and a club scene that begins as an admirable feat (making clever use of the Music Box Theatre) begins to drag, before giving way to a crucial turning point in the story.
    Shania Russell, EW.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Later in the same game, Miami ran four verts with a clever outside receiver cross-field motion.
    Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • As Ukraine’s artillery production likely now outpaces its losses, combined with its domestic shell production, artillery should return to playing a very prominent role in the conflict.
    Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
  • As a growing number of prominent 2021 campaign supporters have defected to rally behind Cuomo, Adams isn’t ruling out running as an independent in November’s general mayoral election in addition to the Democratic primary.
    Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Among the millions of film and video works collected within the world’s archives, there exists an unseen tapestry of remarkable, astonishing and often unseen gems found on a multitude of sources—film and video formats of all shapes and sizes.
    Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 3 Apr. 2025
  • One of these modernist gems just popped up for sale on the suburban outskirts of Los Angeles, in the quaint village of Sierra Madre.
    Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Brighten Skin Tone Collagen face masks brighten skin tone by helping to fade dark spots, hyperpigmentation, and discoloration, resulting in a more even and luminous complexion.
    Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 21 Mar. 2025
  • The eventful life of a luminous galaxy at z = 14: metal enrichment, feedback, and low gas fraction?
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Recognizing team members regularly enhances your emotional intelligence (EI) and creates a more emotionally intelligent workplace.
    Luciana Paulise, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
  • There is a troubling amount of survey data that has suggested that even in the contemporary era, there are many people who believe that Black people are inherently less intelligent genetically, and therefore that educational interventions are not likely to be effective.
    Dana Taylor, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Some of them, like the new experimental version of 2.5 Pro, are beginning to show noticeable vibe improvements.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Use the dome light and flashers to make your vehicle more noticeable.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Gold & Greed: The Hunt for Fenn's Treasure, all three episodes of which are now streaming, chronicles the true story behind the decade-long search for a treasure chest filled with over $1 million worth of gold, jewels, and other valuables hidden somewhere in the Rocky Mountains.
    Megan McCluskey, Time, 27 Mar. 2025
  • The rare things in life aren't just a rare watches or rare jewels.
    Anthony DeMarco, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Brilliant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brilliant. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on brilliant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!