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
To one day find itself in the hands of the brilliant Sam Gold, the powerhouse talent of John Krasinski and the fantastic folk at Studio Seaview. Greg Evans, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2025 An aluminum can is a brilliant thing to recycle, but a lot of things are actually quite difficult to recycle. Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2025 Nemesis is the story of two men on either side of the law, the tale of what happens when an unstoppable force (an expert criminal), Coltrane Wilder (Noel), meets an immovable object (a brilliant police detective), Isaiah Stiles (Law). Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2025 The actor also has various business ventures, including being a founder and brewer at All-Wise Meadery and co-founder of the high-protein yogurt-like product Thor’s Skyr, along with Terry Crews. 02 of 08 Cole Sprouse (Cody) Cole Sprouse plays Zack’s brilliant twin brother Cody. Skyler Trepel, EW.com, 18 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for brilliant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brilliant
Adjective
  • The films that benefit the most from PLF ticket sales have been Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters, as audiences want to see explosive action movies and dazzling spectacles in the most state-of-the-art locations.
    Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2025
  • The Gamecocks were tested by Clark’s dazzling displays, drawing viewership ratings that dwarfed even 2023’s high standards.
    Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Later in the same game, Miami ran four verts with a clever outside receiver cross-field motion.
    Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The digital device is exhausted, the runtime stretches a tad too long, and a club scene that begins as an admirable feat (making clever use of the Music Box Theatre) begins to drag, before giving way to a crucial turning point in the story.
    Shania Russell, EW.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • But the coaching change Juve made last month – discussed at length in this previous column – instantly pushed the him into a more prominent role.
    Adam Digby, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Tesla was already struggling in recent months in connection with Musk’s prominent role in the administration.
    Julia Shapero, The Hill, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Among the millions of film and video works collected within the world’s archives, there exists an unseen tapestry of remarkable, astonishing and often unseen gems found on a multitude of sources—film and video formats of all shapes and sizes.
    Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Lot 22 is an absolute gem for anyone following the vintage Rolex market.
    Thomas Wojtowicz, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • That Del Toro juxtaposed luminous elements fit for a fairy tale with unflinching violence prompted an epiphany for Ezban.
    Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2025
  • For the show, the Symphony of Flowers, the operator would install at Huntington Central Park more than 100,000 luminous flowers totaling 500,000 LED lights that are choreographed to accompany classical music played over speakers.
    Michael Slaten, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Untangling a relationship with SpaceX Some of the most intelligent questions came from US Sen. Andy Kim, D-New Jersey.
    Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2025
  • By automating the most repetitive, time-consuming tasks with intelligent, autonomous AI employees, Artisan is redefining what productivity looks like for go-to-market teams.
    Dasha Shunina, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Some of them, like the new experimental version of 2.5 Pro, are beginning to show noticeable vibe improvements.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Use the dome light and flashers to make your vehicle more noticeable.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • In Midtown’s southeasterly quadrant, the Fifth Avenue Hotel is the jewel of 28th St.
    Christopher Cameron, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2025
  • In their new thriller Crime 101, an adaptation of the Don Winslow novella of the same name, Berry plays a weary insurance broker who gets involved in a multimillion-dollar heist led by a master jewel thief named Davis, portrayed by Hemsworth.
    Erin Clack, People.com, 5 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Brilliant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brilliant. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.

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