bright

1 of 2

adjective

1
a
: radiating or reflecting light : shining, sparkling
bright lights
bright eyes
b
: sunny
a bright day
also : radiant with happiness
bright smiling faces
bright moments
2
: illustrious, glorious
brightest star of the opera
3
4
: of high saturation or lightness
bright colors
5
a
: lively, cheerful
be bright and jovial among your guestsWilliam Shakespeare
b
: intelligent, clever
a bright idea
bright children
6
: auspicious, promising
bright prospects for the future
bright adverb
brightly adverb

bright

2 of 2

noun

plural brights
1
: a color of high saturation : a bright (see bright entry 1 sense 4) color
usually used in plural
rich earth tones and crisp brightsPatricia Peterson
2
brights plural : clothing that is brightly colored
Follow these steps and you can wash your dark clothes with the same laundry detergent you use for your whites and brights.Mary Hunt
3
brights plural : high beams
It didn't help that the car behind her, which had its brights on, seemed intent on tailgating her all the way to Fells Point.Laura Lippman
Choose the Right Synonym for bright

bright, brilliant, radiant, luminous, lustrous mean shining or glowing with light.

bright implies emitting or reflecting a high degree of light.

brilliant implies intense often sparkling brightness.

radiant stresses the emission or seeming emission of rays of light.

luminous implies emission of steady, suffused, glowing light by reflection or in surrounding darkness.

lustrous stresses an even, rich light from a surface that reflects brightly without glittering.

Examples of bright in a Sentence

Adjective The lighting was too bright. a bright room with lots of windows It was a bright, sunny day. The room was decorated in bright colors.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Tesoro looks and smells like a bright streetside cafe in Zacatecas. Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Apr. 2024 That soon transformed into a pop culture spectacle affording a giant platform to acts across genres, where up-and-comers are placed under a bright spotlight while the biggest names on the Billboard charts have a chance to pull off their craziest stunts. Spin Staff, SPIN, 15 Apr. 2024 Vergara was lounging on her couch in a bright magenta robe, with her leg in a complex knee brace. Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 14 Apr. 2024 There is that very quick psychological switch that these bright, real-life colors that show up in my work—that shows skin tone, that shows time of day, that shows intense detail—the viewer understands that these are contemporary peoples right away. Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024 When the stage has been at its biggest in recent weeks and months, and the lights have been at their brightest, Smith has often been at its best. Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024 There are other varieties that stay small while adding some bright color to the landscape. Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 13 Apr. 2024 Meanwhile, Olympian Serena Williams wore a bright yellow sundress while out and about carrying a luxe Gucci bag. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 12 Apr. 2024 As the name suggests, the trend taps into a bubblegum pink color palette, taking things a little brighter than French pinks. Elle Turner, Glamour, 2 Apr. 2024
Noun
Great sound quality with clear, deep bass and pure brights, great in-ear comfort and long battery life make these some of the best out there, especially at 24% off. Don't forget to check out the rest of the deals at Walmart's Spring Savings Week. K. Thor Jensen, PCMAG, 21 Mar. 2024 Triston the Chick 10-inch Squishmallow Triston the Chick is a happy bright yellow with a light yellow belly and extra-fuzzy wings. Phoebe Sklansky, Parents, 13 Mar. 2024 Sunshine yellow and neon brights are out, a warm palette of reds, plum and berry tones–colors typically associated with the autumn months–is in. Hannah Coates, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2023 They're made from a cotton-blend fabric with a fleece interior and come in many colors, with options ranging from classic black and heather gray to brights and pastels in shades of pink, blue, and green. Nicola Fumo, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2023 The shape is the same — long, pointy stilettos — but Fox typically chooses dark colors or metallics, not a summery bright white like this one. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 25 July 2023 It’s made from smooth leather and comes in 10 colors including classics like black and ivory, plus neon brights, metallics, and snakeskin. Nicola Fumo, Peoplemag, 8 Aug. 2023 The blanket comes in 27 colors, including brights and neutrals, and is tasseled on both sides. Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 July 2023 If pink isn't their shade, there's 17 total color options: everything from neutrals like gray, white and black to brights like purple, blue and green. Alyssa Gautieri, Good Housekeeping, 24 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bright.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English beorht; akin to Old High German beraht bright, Sanskrit bhrājate it shines

Noun

noun derivative of bright entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

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

Noun

1920, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of bright was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near bright

Cite this Entry

“Bright.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bright. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

bright

adjective
ˈbrīt
1
: giving off or filled with much light
2
: very clear or vivid in color
3
: intelligent sense 1b, clever
a bright child
a bright idea
4
: cheerful sense 1
a bright smile
5
: full of promise
a bright future
bright adverb
brightly adverb
brightness noun

Biographical Definition

Bright

biographical name

John 1811–1889 English orator and statesman

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