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
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
Ben Church, CNN Money, 12 June 2026
The necklace features seed-pearl links accented with scroll and floral spacers millegrain-set with old brilliant, old single and rose-cut diamonds.
—Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Compact and endlessly charming, Touch of Gold® Holly shines year-round with brilliant golden foliage that illuminates the garden.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 11 June 2026
José Siri made sure the Angels didn’t waste another brilliant performance from Reid Detmers.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for brilliant
Adjective
Czech Republic nearly found a way back, but Tomáš Souček’s header from a brilliant free-kick was rightly ruled offside.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 12 June 2026
The necklace features seed-pearl links accented with scroll and floral spacers millegrain-set with old brilliant, old single and rose-cut diamonds.
—Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Compact and endlessly charming, Touch of Gold® Holly shines year-round with brilliant golden foliage that illuminates the garden.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 11 June 2026
José Siri made sure the Angels didn’t waste another brilliant performance from Reid Detmers.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for brilliant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brilliant
Adjective
-
During the months of filming, Shaikh was between jobs so instead earned money by doing tailoring - gluing tiny round mirrors to a dazzling yellow, silver and white colored sharara set of wide-legged pants, a tunic and stole.—
Neha Bhatt,
NPR,
13 June 2026
-
In an era dominated by social media, a single dazzling dribble or spectacular goal can reach millions within hours.—
Clemente Lisi,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
The trouble is that the clever work is the part the market actually values.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
-
Perspective widens as the intuitive Moon moves through your 9th House of Exploration, sextiling clever Mercury in your 11th House of Friendship.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
The durability of this group will play a prominent role in the defense’s overall success.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
Having faced considerable losses already and staring down more to come, many of the prominent combatants spend Season 3 in an existential crisis, which lends the series a similar atmosphere.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
The gems are also heavily associated with healing.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
13 June 2026
-
The skin care gem is rich in omega-3 fatty acids to deeply hydrate and plump your skin while simultaneously protecting it from future damage.—
Kyra Surgent,
InStyle,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
This luminous dual-timeline novel follows two couples with ties to El Salvador and the threads of war, loss and love that unite them.—
Caroline Killilea,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
-
As the title states, this one gets under your skin and features a committed, luminous performance from Johansson.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
In an age of intelligent machines, who gets to decide what is orthodox remains one of the most important questions a free society can ask.—
Joseph Andrew,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
-
Evangeline is an incredibly intelligent, talented, and heart-centered badass with the perfect voice for the project.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
For those accustomed to smoother Pixar rides, the shifts in rhythm might be a tad too noticeable, but Lasseter, who also penned the script along with Dan Fogelman, the late Joe Ranft, Kiel Murray & Phil Lorin and Jorgen Klubien, still manages to cross the finish line in style.—
Michael Rechtshaffen,
HollywoodReporter,
9 June 2026
-
The loss of weight is definitely noticeable.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Since 2015, the hotel has been a jewel of the Oetker Collection, whose portfolio includes icons such as Le Bristol Paris and the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 June 2026
-
Senior Test Kitchen editor Shilpa Uskokovic carefully crowned the top with the jewel-like fruit.—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brilliant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brilliant. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
