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

3

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.

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 brilliant
Adjective
Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi are two of the most iconic, and their two bobblehead figures have brilliant discounts right now at Walmart and Best Buy. Paul Brett, Space.com, 14 Mar. 2025 The Galaxy’s start this year was as dismal as last season was brilliant. Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025 Alisson was beaten by a brilliant curling effort from Kvaratskhelia in the first half, but the goal was ruled out by the video assistant referee (VAR) for offside. Ben Morse, CNN, 6 Mar. 2025 The Talent Tension Even the most brilliant strategy falters without proper execution. Bernard Marr, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for brilliant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brilliant
Adjective
  • The show spotlights Markle whipping up treats for her friends in a dazzling kitchen, setting up picnics in a verdant garden, and evening coordinating a gorgeous afternoon tea for Mindy Kaling.
    Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 7 Mar. 2025
  • The detonation sent chunks of debris raining down over the area, creating a dazzling artificial meteor shower for people in The Bahamas and Florida's Space Coast, among other locales.
    Mike Wall, Space.com, 7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • This rapid cycle reduces costs, and allows clever businesses to be the first to market trends and consumer feedback updates.
    Haokun Qin, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Classical methods of solving these problems, which often involve churning through possible solutions in clever ways, quickly become untenable.
    Stephen Ornes, Quanta Magazine, 17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • After the round, Morikawa quickly left the course without talking to the media, a move that garnered heavy criticism from plenty of very prominent voices such as Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee and PGA Tour pro Rocco Mediate.
    Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025
  • The Role Of Social Media Platforms Concern around social media is widespread and shared by many, including prominent voices.
    Rob Morris, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Now the endearingly eclectic midcentury-modern gem has surfaced on the market for the first time in almost three decades, asking a smidge under $5.7 million.
    Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 10 Mar. 2025
  • The look was complemented by Dua’s glam, which included sparkly, iridescent eyeshadow surrounded by tiny gems.
    Robyn Merrett, StyleCaster, 7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • This, combined with the luminous glow effect makes everything look distractingly cheap in a show that is clearly expensive and largely well-shot.
    Erik Kain, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
  • Following a brief homage to Los Angeles, still suffering the fallout from devastating wildfires, Grande emerged from a puff of gray smoke, luminous in a sparkly ruby-red gown.
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • People have been dreaming about intelligent humanoid robots since the introduction of the beloved family maid Rosey on The Jetsons in the early 1960s.
    Jim McGregor, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Beyond being intelligent, ethical, musically talented, and dedicated; Emily is a true arts-passionate individual.
    Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • There’s a wide range of cases available, with different aspects and capabilities—including some that partly overcome the 16e’s noticeable oversight: no MagSafe.
    David Phelan, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
  • All of that increases the odds that the trade war will be more visible to Americans, disrupting supply chains and causing noticeable price hikes for certain items.
    Neil Irwin, Axios, 5 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The crown jewel of Heritage’s menu, Gonzalez said, is the A-5 ribeye, a premium Japanese beef prepared tableside on hot stone.
    David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 17 Mar. 2025
  • From the French heritage houses on Place Vendôme, to independent brands presenting their latest jewels at showrooms and luxury hotel around the city, some jewels of spectacular diversity were on show.
    Kate Matthams, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Brilliant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brilliant. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

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