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
Adjective
But the character was steadied throughout by the Texan actor Renée Zellweger as the very English Bridget, an unpredictably brilliant piece of casting that just works.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2025
No one can tell me that's not a brilliant little mind!
—Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025
Last summer, North Carolina locals were astounded by a rare but entirely natural phenomenon that caused the ocean along the Crystal Coast to sparkle with a brilliant blue radiance that folks previously only associated with places like the Bahamas or Turks and Caicos.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 3 Feb. 2025
The Spider-Verse movies are brilliant and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is just fun — one an exercise in pushing the medium forward, the other a backward-looking piece of nostalgia.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for brilliant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brilliant
Adjective
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While the internals aren't dazzling, the 14th-generation Intel i5 processor is more than speedy enough to tackle standard productivity tasks, Web browsing and media streaming.— K. Thor Jensen, PCMAG, 11 Feb. 2025
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One of the biggest events will be the always dazzling and campy Eurovision Song Contest Grand Finale, which will be staged in St. Jakobshalle arena on Saturday, May 17.— Adam H. Graham, AFAR Media, 10 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Anyone who thinks this is funny or clever needs to listen more and talk less.— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2025
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Scammers are getting more clever all the time and I’ve almost been fooled by a few of them.— Jason Ogaard, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The steam shovel, which has occupied a prominent position for two years or more opposite the Chellin garage, was shipped out of town last week to do service elsewhere.— Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
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The performance of the hymn at last year's Super Bowl caused anger among prominent members of the MAGA movement.— Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The designer gems are from Barrett Barrera Projects’ fashion collection.— Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 2 Feb. 2025
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Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and Back Bay, this gem of a state park features hiking and biking trails, as well as four primitive camping areas—two on the ocean side and two on the bay side.— Erin Gifford, Southern Living, 2 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Mulligan brings luminous self-possession to her supporting role, which recalls her appearance as another folk singer in the Coens’ instant classic Inside Llewyn Davis.— David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Feb. 2025
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Featuring a blend of SPF 30, mandarin-peel extract, light-adjusting technology, luminous pearls, and microcrystals, this foundation refines skin texture, reduces the look of hyperpigmentation, and smooths fine lines.— Kiana Murden, Vogue, 31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Chahine is clearly an intelligent person, and his experience in finance has obviously helped him during this esports journey, making decisions that traditional esports execs may not have made.— Mike Stubbs, Forbes, 8 Feb. 2025
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At once personal yet scientific, richly informative and beautifully written, The Genius of Birds celebrates the triumphs of these surprising and fiercely intelligent creatures.— Kevin Spencer, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Dehydrated skin can make fine lines more noticeable.— Jenna Ryu, SELF, 11 Feb. 2025
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The penalty tilt has noticeable in the past 12 Kansas City postseason games as Chiefs opponents have been flagged more 11 times, with one tie.— Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 8 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Weaving a fascination for lace A delicate jewel among textiles, lace is an elegant and deceptively simple creation whose appeal has been spun for centuries.— David Morgan, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2025
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For a player who switched East Rutherford, New Jersey, for the City of Brotherly Love in the offseason, Barkley has been the jewel in the Eagles’ NFC crown and the engine of their winning machine this year, so much so that he was named as a finalist for this year’s NFL Most Valuable Player award.— Ben Morse, CNN, 4 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near brilliant
Cite this Entry
“Brilliant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brilliant. Accessed 17 Feb. 2025.
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