bright 1 of 2

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as in intelligent
having or showing quickness of mind a company that is always looking for bright, ambitious college graduates

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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bright

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adverb

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bright colors
vivid colors
vibrant colors
brilliant colors
bold colors
loud colors
a bright day
a sunny day
a clear day
a brilliant day
a dazzling day
a sunshiny day
a bright future
a good future
a hopeful future
a brilliant future
a vibrant future
a sunny future
bright students
smart students
intelligent students
sharp students
brilliant students
brainy students

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective bright differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of bright are brilliant, luminous, lustrous, and radiant. While all these words mean "shining or glowing with light," bright implies emitting or reflecting a high degree of light.

When is brilliant a more appropriate choice than bright?

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

In what contexts can luminous take the place of bright?

While in some cases nearly identical to bright, luminous implies emission of steady, suffused, glowing light by reflection or in surrounding darkness.

When would lustrous be a good substitute for bright?

The meanings of lustrous and bright largely overlap; however, lustrous stresses an even, rich light from a surface that reflects brightly without glittering.

When might radiant be a better fit than bright?

Although the words radiant and bright 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 bright
Adjective
So, if and when Stafford and Kupp are traded from Los Angeles, perhaps the new duo of Rodgers and Adams could team up with bright, young star Puka Nacua and the rest of the Rams’ squad that won a playoff game in 2024. Scott Thompson, Fox News, 26 Feb. 2025 Nicholas Hoult continues his impeccable style run at the Burberry Winter 2025 show during London Fashion Week on Feb. 24. 07 of 120 Everything's Coming Up Rosie Rosie Huntington-Whiteley pairs her Burberry tartan with a bright red bomber jacket for London Fashion Week on Feb. 24. Toria Sheffield, People.com, 25 Feb. 2025 Although short of its rating, that's more than bright enough for any business use, including photo and video editing, as well as gaming. PCMAG, 25 Feb. 2025 Founder and lead designer Jaimie Anand doesn’t shy away from bright colors and bold accents, including sculptural furnishings and lighting, energetic wall coverings, and vivid rugs. Dan Howarth, Architectural Digest, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bright
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bright
Adjective
  • Sure, the Currys should get another stab at it on Monday, when the Warriors make their annual trek to Charlotte and Steph Curry’s yearly shining moment in uptown takes place.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 26 Feb. 2025
  • Ben Franklin, with his range of knowledge from political science to publishing to ocean currents, is another shining example.
    Joe McKendrick, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Another cheerful Minervois scintillator that is balanced with bright fruit, subtle tannins and vats of joyous acidity.
    Tom Mullen, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Buchholz remained cheerful throughout the event, saying there is nothing to complain about when a party doubles its support.
    Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Put differently, intelligent onboarding can enable financial service providers to reach thin-file and difficult-to-identify demographics while reducing dropout rates.
    James Bruni, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
  • What’s more, Asian elephants are highly social, highly intelligent, and endangered, raising intractable ethical obstacles to experimenting on them.
    Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • His promising early baseball career took a back seat in 1943 when he was taken into the Navy and served as a radio operator on the USS Coral Sea during World War II.
    Daniel Brown, The Athletic, 9 Mar. 2025
  • The fourth-round draft pick had a promising rookie season in 2024, even after sustaining a scary neck injury in late November.
    Alex Zietlow and, Charlotte Observer, 9 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Cut to Trachtenberg’s Jenny in a luxurious spa bubble bath, making the most of a preposterously favorable exchange rate.
    Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 26 Feb. 2025
  • This spike is partly fueled by favorable exchange rates, although the popularity of country may be pushing overall spring break prices higher, with the average insured trip to Japan now costing nearly $10,000.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Proceeds from the sale will go to partially pre-pay outstanding bank loans, according to ABS-CBN, which has shrunk in size and been losing money since Congress didn't renew its broadcasting franchise in 2020.
    Ian Sayson, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Following his legal victory in the Corby case, Collins was awarded outstanding case of the year at the Personal Injury Awards in 2009.
    Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Investing in premium beauty tools and treatments ensures that your skin remains radiant and your hair stays healthy, despite the cold and dry climate.
    Tira Urquhart, Essence, 26 Feb. 2025
  • These drops seamlessly blend into your favorite moisturizer or foundation, to provide extra glow, UV protection, and naturally enhance skin tone for an overall radiant finish.
    Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines and Southwest Airlines step up in March with seven new nonstops, including to sunny Orlando, Panama City, Fla., and Phoenix.
    Edward Russell, Travel + Leisure, 1 Mar. 2025
  • Manhattan Beach in Los Angeles County was ranked No. 27 for its sunny skies and high visitor satisfaction ratings.
    Hannah Poukish, Sacramento Bee, 1 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bright.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bright. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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