bright
adjective
radiating or reflecting light; luminous; shining.
bright
1 American
[brahyt]
/ braɪt /
adjective
-
brighter,
comparative
-
brightest
superlative
-
radiating or reflecting light; luminous; shining.
The bright coins shone in the gloom.
-
filled with light.
The room was bright with sunshine.
-
vivid or brilliant.
a bright red dress;
bright passages of prose.
-
quick-witted or intelligent.
They gave promotions to bright employees.
- Synonyms:
- clever, ingenious, sharp-witted, sharp, discerning, keen
-
clever or witty, as a remark.
Bright comments enlivened the conversation.
-
animated; lively; cheerful.
a bright and happy child;
a bird's bright song.
-
characterized by happiness or gladness.
All the world seems bright and gay.
-
favorable or auspicious.
bright prospects for the future.
- Synonyms:
- promising
-
radiant or splendid.
the bright pageantry of court.
-
illustrious or glorious, as an era.
the bright days of the Renaissance.
-
clear or translucent, as liquid.
The bright water trickled through his fingers.
-
having a glossy, glazed, or polished finish.
-
intensely clear and vibrant in tone or quality; clear and sharp in sound.
a bright singing voice.
noun
-
brights,
-
the automobile or truck headlights used for driving at night or under conditions of decreased visibility.
-
the brighter level of intensity of these lights, usually deflected upward by switching on a bulb in the headlamp that strikes the lens at a different angle.
-
-
flue-cured, light-hued tobacco.
-
an artist's paintbrush having short, square-edged bristles.
-
Archaic. brightness; splendor.
adverb
brighter,
brightest
Bright
2
American
[brahyt]
/ braɪt /
noun
-
John, 1811–89, British statesman and economist.
-
Richard, 1789–1858, English physician.
bright
1
British
/ braɪt /
adjective
-
emitting or reflecting much light; shining
-
(of colours) intense or vivid
-
full of promise
a bright future
-
full of animation; cheerful
a bright face
-
informal quick witted or clever
a bright child
-
magnificent; glorious
a bright victory
-
polished; glistening
a bright finish
-
(of the voice) distinct and clear
-
(of a liquid) translucent and clear
a circle of bright water
-
very early in the morning
noun
-
a thin flat paintbrush with a straight sharp edge used for highlighting in oil painting
-
poetic brightness or splendour
the bright of his armour
adverb
Bright
2
British
/ braɪt /
noun
bright
Idioms
Synonym Usage
Bright, brilliant, radiant, shining refer to that which gives forth, is filled with, or reflects light. Bright suggests the general idea: bright flare, stars, mirror. Brilliant implies a strong, unusual, or sparkling brightness, often changeful or varied and too strong to be agreeable: brilliant sunlight. Radiant implies the pouring forth of steady rays of light, especially as are agreeable to the eyes: a radiant face. Shining implies giving forth or reflecting a strong or steady light: shining eyes.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
overbrightnessnoun
-
unbrightnessnoun
-
brightishadjective
-
overbrightadjective
-
superbrightadjective
-
unbrightadjective
-
brightlyadverb
-
overbrightlyadverb
-
unbrightlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of bright
First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English breht, beorht; cognate with Gothic bairht(s), Old Saxon ber(a)ht, Old High German beraht, Old Norse bjartr; Welsh berth “splendid”; akin to Latin flagrāre “to blaze” ( see flagrant ( def. )), Albanian bardhë “white,” Sanskrit bhrājate “it shines”
Explanation
After a long, gray winter, it's hard to remember what a bright, sunny day is like. Bright means shining with light. The adjective bright is good for describing anything that emits, reflects, or is full of light — like the bright moon, the bright sky or the bright, well-lit room. Bright can also mean vivid or vibrant — such as a bright purple three-piece suit. More figuratively, bright means "full of hope or possibility" — like your bright future as a marine biologist.
Vocabulary lists containing bright
Spelling Practice 1, Unit 8
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Spelling Practice 2, Unit 3
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Earlier in the evening, she performed a brief, bright rendition of “Man I Need,” prancing in time with her band for a crowd dense with stars.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
Dr. Philip Goodwin, climate physicist at the University of Southampton and study co-author, added: "As the ice sheet expanded, its bright surface reflected more sunlight back into space, cooling the region further."
From Science Daily ● Aug. 25, 2026
At Hampton Court, Dillamore pointed to vibrant pink flowers with bright green foliage.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
The flashy and perhaps overwhelmingly bright Chromeo took the Stardust Stage just before 9 p.m., with David Macklovitch donning a T-shirt with a very low neck and a glittering blazer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
Yet, his eyes bright, his mouth and jaw less rigid, I know he said it.
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Stephen Bright: I was in Atlanta with an organization called the Southern Center for Human Rights.
From Slate ● Aug. 22, 2026
Bright white flags of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan have been installed this week across the capital Kabul, where new murals declare: "Independence is a sign of dignity, pride and identity".
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
Bright colors might pop, but traditional Craftsman homes have earth tones — according to the plan.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
Bright graphic eyeliner, vampy lips and holographic highlighter are some of this year's biggest beauty trends for the main stage.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
Bright grinned patiently as I interrupted my story to comment on the score.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
A zone of wet weather will move eastwards across England and Wales on Saturday, although drier and brighter conditions may spread from the west later.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
All industries surveyed reported brighter expectations this month, especially the motor-vehicle sector, even as sentiment there remains subdued due to high energy prices and Chinese competition.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
The beach grows brighter as fires multiply from Malvarrosa down toward the port.
From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026
It will appear brighter than every nearby star.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 5, 2026
We got two different shades, and he chooses the brighter crayon.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
"If a galaxy were a city, the brightest stars would be the skyscrapers that immediately catch your eye from afar," said lead author Chloe Cheng, a recent doctoral graduate of Leiden University.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 22, 2026
Vega, one of the brightest stars visible in the night sky, displays the same type of pattern.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 13, 2026
Josh McEachran was regarded as one of Chelsea's brightest prospects after breaking into the first team as a 17-year-old in 2010, going on to make 22 senior appearances for the club.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
James will join 2024 Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, 2023 MVP Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey—one of the brightest young scorers in the NBA—to form what is likely the last superteam of his career.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Barnum floods the exterior with the brightest lights in all of New York.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
