brightness

noun

bright·​ness ˈbrīt-nəs 

1

a

: the quality or state of being bright

also : an instance of such a quality or state

b

: luminance

2

: the attribute of light-source colors by which emitted light is ordered continuously from light to dark in correlation with its intensity compare hue sense 2c, lightness entry 1 sense 2a, saturation sense 4

Synonyms

• brilliancy
• brilliance
• lightness
• illumination
• luminosity

Examples of brightness in a Sentence

the brightness of the sunshine made me squint after an afternoon spent in a darkened movie theater

Recent Examples on the Web

Still, you'll be rewarded with top-notch picture processing matched with vibrant brightness and colors, as well as Samsung's pedestal-style floating-screen design and plenty of gaming features. —Ryan Waniata, Wired News, 11 July 2025

Solar geoengineering activities involve cooling the Earth by reflecting sunlight into space through the dispersal of small particles into the upper atmosphere or by increasing the size and brightness of clouds over the ocean, among other ideas. —Pilar Melendez, NBC news, 10 July 2025

The screen now reaches 2,600 nits of peak brightness and has a 120Hz refresh rate for brighter and smoother performance. —PC Magazine, 9 July 2025

Shakedown leaves the attic and lets the light run over their guitars, with streaks of brightness and a rhythmic tightness that ditches the glorious sloppiness of bar italia’s earlier music. —Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 9 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for brightness

• lightness
• rightness
• tightness
• whiteness
• politeness
• uprightness

Medical Definition

brightness

noun

bright·​ness ˈbrīt-nəs 

: the one of the three psychological dimensions of color perception by which visual stimuli are ordered continuously from light to dark and which is correlated with light intensity compare hue, saturation sense 4a