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

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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.

Examples 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
Michał is obviously a brilliant cinematographer but also knows Warsaw so well. Alex Jhamb Burns, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Nov. 2024 Chloe is at risk of losing her leg, and Mika’s liver is damaged so badly that Bailey has to stop all of the surgeons in the OR from fighting and run over to her treadmill desk to come up with a brilliant, cutting-edge, life-saving idea. Laura Bradley, Vulture, 15 Nov. 2024 In his mind, Wiley was a brilliant eccentric whose lifestyle seemed somehow exempt from social norms. Rachel Corbett, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2024 The series’ third, and final, season concluded in 2023 with a brilliant sendoff—and the whole series is available to watch now. Jennifer M. Wood, WIRED, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for brilliant 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brilliant
Adjective
  • At the upper left, the gray-bearded figure of a wise and eternal God directs the action, hovering within a dazzling golden sunburst.
    Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
  • Known for its dazzling night race setting, the Las Vegas Grand Prix is the 22nd stop in the 2024 season and promises a race that embraces the colorful and vibrant spirit of Sin City.
    Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Amazon The best smart shades can be awfully expensive, but this clever retrofit gadget from Eve can make one of your existing roller blinds smart.
    Simon Hill, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2024
  • What’s also clever is that Mela has positioned itself as an accessible brand.
    Andrew Watman, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Nearly $1 billion in donations have poured in, much coming from corporations such as Apple and the Total energy group, and prominent French lineages, including the Bettencourt Meyers family of L’Oréal, the Pinaults of Kering, and the Arnaults of LVMH.
    Dana Thomas, Architectural Digest, 20 Nov. 2024
  • Authorities in Hong Kong sentenced 45 prominent pro-democracy activists to up to 10 years in prison on Tuesday for violating a wide-ranging national security law imposed on the area by China.
    Anders Hagstrom, Fox News, 19 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • New perk: Easily find new routes and hidden gems, upcoming running events, and more near you.
    Lily Ritter, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024
  • Taco Bell, the gem of Yum’s portfolio, reported same-store sales growth of 4%.
    Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The gentle-hearted Miriam’s (a luminous Bisserat Tseggai) heart-rending story about breaking away from a louse of a husband, having to leave her little girl behind to make a stab at a new life, cuts to the bone.
    Karen D'Souza, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
  • This 37 mm 18-karat white gold example with rare luminous roman numerals, was one of the last of the 5035 references to come off the production line.
    Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • Besides maintaining control of one’s own emotions, an emotionally intelligent leader is aware of their team members’ emotions and motivations.
    Leen Kawas, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
  • So Far This is a world where fascism in Oz is taking hold, where fear and hatred is being promoted and the intelligent and wise speaking animals of Oz are having their voices silenced.
    Pete Hammond, Deadline, 19 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Oppo’s newest flagship phone, the Find X8 Pro, is the first phone in this series to return to the global stage after the last two models remained China-exclusive, and with the return come several noticeable quality of life improvements.
    Ben Sin, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
  • But while there might have been a noticeable drop in the use of these services, most of us would still rather receive a physical card through the mailbox than a digital one in our inbox.
    Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • But some people criticized the lavish affair — which included a gold carriage procession and a display of the monarchy’s jewels — as an insensitive extravagance while millions across the country were struggling financially.
    Anna Cooban, CNN, 22 Nov. 2024
  • Jennie Yoon founded Kinn in 2017 after several of her family’s antique jewels were stolen.
    Laura Lajiness Kaupke, Vogue, 19 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near brilliant

Cite this Entry

“Brilliant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brilliant. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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