as in obvious
not subject to misinterpretation or more than one interpretation
there is no bright-line rule governing the issue
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Recent Examples of bright-line
When the choice is between the CPM and something other than the CUT method or a CUT-like unspecified method, the bright-line comparability requirements imposed by reg.
—
Ryan Finley, Forbes.com, 23 Feb. 2026
There is no bright-line definition for hardship—it’s determined by the employer under the terms of the retirement plan and based on facts and circumstances.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
None of these cases, for instance, is likely to result in the full restoration of the bright-line rules established with the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, rules based in part on the lessons of our battles against authoritarian monarchy in the seventeenth century.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 20 Aug. 2024
Baron’s argument is, at first, the least problematic; the killing of his cousin is a bright-line injustice.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024
And there’s one bright-line issue that many Northern Virginia Democrats said is fundamental to them: full Virginia funding for the Metro transit system.
—Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 14 Jan. 2024
The new draft guidelines are not bright-line laws or regulations, and US antitrust enforcement will continue to reflect longstanding legal precedents, senior administration officials emphasized Tuesday in a call with reporters.
—Brian Fung, CNN, 19 July 2023
Ryan Finley, Forbes.com, 23 Feb. 2026
There is no bright-line definition for hardship—it’s determined by the employer under the terms of the retirement plan and based on facts and circumstances.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
None of these cases, for instance, is likely to result in the full restoration of the bright-line rules established with the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, rules based in part on the lessons of our battles against authoritarian monarchy in the seventeenth century.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 20 Aug. 2024
Baron’s argument is, at first, the least problematic; the killing of his cousin is a bright-line injustice.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024
And there’s one bright-line issue that many Northern Virginia Democrats said is fundamental to them: full Virginia funding for the Metro transit system.
—Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 14 Jan. 2024
The new draft guidelines are not bright-line laws or regulations, and US antitrust enforcement will continue to reflect longstanding legal precedents, senior administration officials emphasized Tuesday in a call with reporters.
—Brian Fung, CNN, 19 July 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bright-line
Adjective
-
Another obvious, simple solution is just to chill out.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
One obvious example is the use of modular, prefabricated components to quickly and relatively cheaply build housing.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The whiff stench of insider trading is unmistakable.—
Nic Puckrin,
Fortune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The confidence is unmistakable.—
Scott Powers,
New York Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Some are not much more apparent than a telephone pole.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
What wasn't hidden was their apparent glee.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
For a metro growing as fast as Charlotte, stores that survive will have clear identity on price, in-store experience or convenience, Lempert said.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The board terminated him, and now, for this latest incident to happen, the school board is sending another clear message.—
Jermont Terry,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Requiring hours of collaboration and complex coding, the 1976 animation is, conversely, one of Bettina’s most visually straightforward objects.—
Katherine Rochester,
Artforum,
1 Apr. 2026
-
While that sounds straightforward, the real value lies in its layered rewards system, which introduces additional earning opportunities as well as complications.—
Katherine Fan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Ri’s process is evident in the surfaces themselves — scratched, layered, built up, and worn down.—
Olga Garcia-Mayoral,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Wilson’s Defense of Batula Amid Kyle Cooke Drama Wilson’s closeness to Batula was already evident to viewers this season, particularly during a tense on‑camera argument between Batula and Cooke that escalated late one night.—
Jenni Fink,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Designed to evoke the Golden Age of travel, the ridged shell has a distinct midcentury sensibility and a presence few other cases can match.—
Charley Ward,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Typically speaking, modern wars tend to consist of various distinct phases, the first of which tends to be to blind the enemy.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The agency's move from its current location in Washington, DC, to Utah's capital city is part of a broader strategy to place the forest service closer to the Western states that comprise the majority of the 193-million-acre forest system, the USDA announced March 31.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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On the broader military front, thousands of Marines aboard the USS Tripoli arrived in the Middle East on Friday, with additional forces en route from the West Coast.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bright-line.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bright-line. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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