1
as in dazzling
giving off or reflecting much light
a brilliant chandelier graces the hotel lobby
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
as in prominent
likely to attract attention
a brilliant example of government waste
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brilliant
Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
The color palette leaned into brilliant hues, with some models strutting down the runway in neon greens and siren reds.
—Anika Reed, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
Penn, giving a brilliant performance of cold villainy that could win him a third Oscar, is unafraid of lancing the inherent goofiness of a fascist.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2025
Mike is a brilliant offensive mind.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brilliant
Adjective
To him the silence was a flare of sound, a brilliant day of noises dazzling through the veins of dusk.
—Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
The color palette leaned into brilliant hues, with some models strutting down the runway in neon greens and siren reds.
—Anika Reed, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
Penn, giving a brilliant performance of cold villainy that could win him a third Oscar, is unafraid of lancing the inherent goofiness of a fascist.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2025
Mike is a brilliant offensive mind.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brilliant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brilliant
Adjective
-
Pearsall had eight receptions for 117 yards, including a dazzling, Willie Mays-style catch on fourth-and-2 earlier in the fourth quarter.—
Matt Barrows,
New York Times,
22 Sep. 2025
-
While drought can contribute to a less dazzling leaf display, so too can a weather system that falls on the opposite end of the spectrum.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
None of them wound up being, to me, especially funny or clever.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Sep. 2025
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So while a raccoon's tiny hand reaching through your shower wall might feel like a scene from a thriller, the real story is far more down-to-earth—a clever animal simply looking for food and shelter.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The inquiry also scrutinized prominent Trump allies, including Sidney Powell, Rudy Giuliani, and Stephen Miller, along with dozens of consultants and political action committees tied to the former president’s orbit.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Almost a week after one of America’s most prominent conservative activists was shot and killed during an event at Utah Valley University, a 22-year-old man accused of executing the attack with his grandfather’s rifle appeared in court Tuesday to face state charges.—
Taylor Romine,
CNN Money,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Second-year wide receiver Malik Nabers has been excellent to start the season, and fourth-year wideout Wan'Dale Robinson may be developing into a bit of a gem.—
Robert Marvi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Sep. 2025
-
As at Four Horsemen, where an oeuf mayonnaise is zebra-striped with squid ink and humble beans are treated like precious gems, Curtola trusts his diners to venture beyond obvious crowd-pleasers.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The activity, visible across several provinces, was captured in photographs and videos posted on social media showing luminous trails arcing across the night sky.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Baker’s synaesthesiac grasp of the tawny’s song, in which its voice can ruffle the fur of night and in which silence is luminous, may be reflected in the neural structure of the owl’s brain.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
For organizations that are serious about modernizing their platforms and adopting AI to drive efficiency and growth, intelligent archiving should be a core part of their digital transformation and data readiness strategies.—
Sean Nathaniel,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Bob was charismatic, intelligent, intense, always interesting— and one of the finest actors ever.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
When compared with the DeathAdder V4 Pro, the difference is slight but noticeable.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
18 Sep. 2025
-
The New Shape of the Curve Year-to-date production growth for 2025 marks a noticeable deceleration compared to the peak shale boom years, when annual growth often ran in the double digits.—
Robert Rapier,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
What’s more, all this innovation is contained within a movement that measures just 4 mm thick—despite the presence of 379 individual components and 44 jewels.—
Oren Hartov,
Robb Report,
20 Sep. 2025
-
There are also mile-wide court dresses; a step-by-step look at the queen’s daily toilette, and a replica of the jewels from the Affair of the Diamond Necklace, which saw Marie Antoinette’s reputation damaged by false criminal accusations.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brilliant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brilliant. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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