Word.ws English Dictionary

bright

/ˈbɹɐɪ̯t/UK/ˈbɹaɪ̯t/

bright adjective: emitting much light; visually dazzling; luminous, lucent, radiant.

bright: emitting much light; visually dazzling; luminous, lucent, radiant
Image: CarlosyFrancisca, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Adjective

bright (comparative brighter, superlative brightest)

  1. Emitting much light; visually dazzling; luminous, lucent, radiant.
    • The sky was remarkably bright and blue on that beautiful summer day.
    • Where the bright Seraphim in burning row / Their loud up-lifted Angel trumpets blow; / And the Cherubick hoſt in thouſand quires / Touch their immortal Harps of golden wires, […]1646 (indicated as 1645), John Milton, “At a Solemn Musick”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], →OCLC, page 22
  2. Of light: brilliant, intense.
    • Could you please dim the light? It’s far too bright.
  3. Of an object, surface, etc.: reflecting much light; having a high lustre; gleaming, shiny.
    Antonyms:
    dull
  4. Of a place: not dark; well-lit.
    • It was said that the Irish whom [Louis de Duras, 2nd Earl of] Feversham had let loose were marching on London and massacring every man, woman, and child on the road. At one in the morning the drums of the militia beat to arms. […] Before two the capital wore a face of stern preparedness which might...1849, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter X, in The History of England from the Accession of James II, volume II, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC, page 564
  5. Of climate or weather: not cloudy or gloomy; fair; also, of a period of time, the sky, etc.: characterized by much sunshine and good weather.
    • [H]e felt the influence of the bright sky, and looked up smiling into its deep unfathomable blue.1841 February–November, Charles Dickens, “Barnaby Rudge. Chapter 77.”, in Master Humphrey’s Clock, volume III, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 392
    • Serene, smiling, enigmatic, she faced him with no fear whatever showing in her dark eyes. The clear light of the bright autumn morning had no terrors for youth and health like hers.1910, Emerson Hough, “A Lady in Company”, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, page 6
  6. (figuratively, transferred senses) Clearly apparent; conspicuous.
    • They gathered soberly in the farthest recess of the ward and gossiped about him in malicious, offended undertones, rebelling against his presence as a ghastly imposition and resenting him malevolently for the nauseating truth of which he was bright reminder.1961 November 10, Joseph Heller, “The Soldier in White”, in Catch-22 […], New York, N.Y.: Simon and Schuster, →OCLC, page 169
  7. (figuratively, transferred senses) Of a colour: not muted or pale; bold, brilliant, vivid.
    • Her step was quick; her eye piercing, and of the brightest blue; […]1838 May, L. M., “The West Fifty Years Since”, in T[homas] W[illis] White, editor, The Southern Literary Messenger: Devoted to Every Department of Literature and the Fine Arts, volume IV, number V...
    Synonyms:
    hot
  8. (figuratively, transferred senses) Of an object, surface, etc.: having vivid colour(s); colourful.
    • The orange and blue walls of the sitting room were much brighter than the dull grey walls of the kitchen.
    • Here the bright crocus and blue vi'let glow; / Here weſtern winds on breathing roſes blow.a. 1745 (date written), Alexander Pope, “Spring. The First Pastoral, or Damon. […]”, in The Works of Alexander Pope Esq. […], volume I, London: […] J[ohn] and P[aul] Knapton, H. Lintot, J[acob] and...
  9. (figuratively, transferred senses) Of a musical instrument, sound, or a voice: clearly audible; clear, resounding, and often high-pitched.
  10. (figuratively, transferred senses) Of a room or other place: having acoustic qualities that tend to cause much echoing or reverberation of sound, particularly at high frequencies.
  11. (figuratively, transferred senses) Of a scent or taste: having an agreeable balance of sweet and sour, often with associations of coolness, freshness, and sometimes aromaticity.
  12. (figuratively, transferred senses) Of a scent or taste: not bland or mild; bold, sharp, strong.
Show 14 more meaningsShow fewer meanings
  1. (figuratively, transferred senses) Of a substance: clear, transparent; also, pure, unadulterated; (specifically) of wine: free of suspended particles; not cloudy; fine.
    • From […] the brighteſt Wines / He'd turn abhorrent.1728, [James] Thomson, Spring: A Poem, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar and G[eorge] Strahan, →OCLC, page 10
  2. (figuratively, transferred senses) Glorious; illustrious.
    • And 'twas the worſt, if not the only ſtain, / I'th' brighteſt Annals of a Female Reign.1681, Charles Cotton, The Wonders of the Peake, London: […] Joanna Brome, […], →OCLC, page 16
  3. (figuratively, transferred senses) In good spirits; happy, optimistic.
    • I woke up today feeling so bright that I decided to have a little dance.
    • Their spirits had risen a little at the discovery of the path, but now they sank into their boots; and yet they would not give it up and go away. The hobbit [Bilbo Baggins] was no longer much brighter than the dwarves. He would do nothing but sit with his back to the rock-face and stare[…].1937 September 21, J[ohn] R[onald] R[euel] Tolkien, “On the Doorstep”, in The Hobbit: Or There and Back Again, revised edition, New York, N.Y.: Ballantine Books, published February 1966 (August 1967...
  4. (figuratively, transferred senses) Of the face or eyes, or a smile: showing happiness or hopefulness; cheerful, lively.
    • Bright eyes / Burning like fire / Bright eyes / How can you close and fail? / How can the light that burned so brightly / Suddenly burn so pale? / Bright eyes1978 October 19, Mike Batt, “Bright Eyes”, in Fate for Breakfast, performed by Art Garfunkel, published 19 January 1979
  5. (figuratively, transferred senses) Of a person: lively, vivacious.
    • Come on: / Gentle my Lord, ſleeke o're your rugged Lookes, / Be bright and Iouiall among your Gueſts to Night.c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount...
  6. (figuratively, transferred senses) Of a period of history or time: happy, prosperous, successful.
    • She has a bright future ahead.
    • Yesterday / Was a nicer day / Will we ever find / That time? / Yesterday / Was a brighter day / Could it ever be / That way?1978, Aquarian Dream, “Yesterday (Was So Nice Today)”, in Fantasy
  7. (figuratively, transferred senses) Of an opportunity or outlook: having a reasonable chance of success; favourable, good.
    • If he trains hard, his chances of winning the competition are bright.
  8. (figuratively, transferred senses) Of conversation, writing, etc.: imaginative or sparkling with wit; clever, witty.
  9. (figuratively, transferred senses) Having a clear, quick intellect; intelligent.
    • She’s very bright. She was able to solve the problem without my help.
    • ―Ah, God, Corley replied, sure I couldn't teach in a school, man. I was never one of your bright ones, he added with a half laugh, Got stuck twice in the junior at the Christian Brothers.1922 February 2, James Joyce, “[Episode 16: Eumaeus]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company […], →OCLC, part III [Nostos], page 573
  10. (archaic, figuratively, transferred senses) Of the eyes: able to see clearly; of eyesight: keen, sharp.
  11. (archaic, figuratively, transferred senses) Manifest to the mind as light is to the eyes; clear, evident, plain.
    • [T]he Queriſt muſt not proceed too ſwiftly towards the Determination of his Point propos'd, that he may with more Eaſe, with brighter Evidence, and with ſurer Succeſs draw the Learner on to aſſent to thoſe Principles ſtep by ſtep, from whence the final Concluſion will naturally ariſe.1741, I[saac] Watts, “The Socratical Way of Disputation”, in The Improvement of the Mind: Or, A Supplement to the Art of Logick: […], London: […] James Brackstone, […], →OCLC, paragraph V, page 172
  12. (figuratively, transferred senses) Of a rhythm or tempo: lively, upbeat.
  13. (figuratively, transferred senses) Of a note: slightly sharp.
  14. Of a metal object or surface: lacking any protective coating or surface treatment for the prevention of corrosion.

Noun

bright (plural brights)

  1. (archaic, literary) Brightness, glow.
    • Thee Father firſt they ſung Omnipotent, / […] when thou ſhad'ſt / The full blaze of thy beams, and through a cloud / Drawn round about thee like a radiant Shrine, / Dark with exceſſive bright thy ſkirts appeer, / Yet dazle Heav'n, […]1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished...
  2. (archaic, figuratively, literary) Glory, splendour.
  3. (in plural) Something (especially a product intended for sale) that has vivid colours or a lustrous appearance.
  4. A person with a naturalistic worldview with no mystical or supernatural elements.
    • Brights constitute 60% of American scientists, and a stunning 93% of those scientists good enough to be elected to the elite National Academy of Sciences (equivalent to Fellows of the Royal Society) are brights.2003 June 20, Richard Dawkins, “The future looks bright”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 22 Mar 2021
    • Many of us brights have devoted considerable time and energy at some point in our lives to looking at the arguments for and against the existence of God, and many brights continue to pursue these issues, hacking away vigorously at the arguments of believers as if they were trying to refute a rival...2006, Daniel C[lement] Dennett, “Breaking Which Spell?”, in Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon, New York, N.Y.: Viking, →ISBN, part I (Opening Pandora’s Box), section 5 (Religion as...
  5. (painting) An artist's brush used in acrylic and oil painting with a long ferrule and a flat, somewhat tapering bristle head.

Adverb

bright (comparative more bright, superlative most bright)

  1. (literary, often) In a bright manner; brightly, glowingly, luminously, lustrously.
  2. (figuratively) Referring to colour: with bold or vivid colours; brightly, boldly, vividly.
  3. (archaic, figuratively) Referring to sight, sound, understanding, etc.: clearly, distinctly; brightly.

Verb

bright (third-person singular simple present brights, present participle brighting, simple past and past participle brighted)

  1. (UK, dialectal, transitive) Often followed by up: to cast light on (someone or something); to brighten, to illuminate.
  2. (UK, dialectal, figuratively, transitive) Often followed by up: to cause (someone or something) to be bright (in various senses); to brighten; specifically, to make (someone or something) energetic, or happy and optimistic.
    • Toward Mid-day he [the Sun] brighteth the Air into a chearful Saphir, and guildeth the Borders of the very Clouds with a coſtly limbus.1686, J[ohn] Goad, “The Sun, the Great Light, Justly Admired. […]”, in Astro-meteorologica, or, Aphorisms and Large Significant Discourses of the Natures and Influences of the Cœlestial Bodies; […]...
  3. (UK, also, dialectal, figuratively, intransitive) Often followed by up: to become bright (in various senses); to brighten.
    • Day brighteth at the smile o' her and yea, He hath aplanted full o' seed for harvesting by thy loving.1915, Keith Ringkamp, editor, The Patience Worth Record, volume I, [Morrisville, N.C.]: Lulu.com, published 2008, →ISBN, page 238

Proper noun capitalized: Bright

Bright

  1. A surname.
    • Chandler Basha announced via Twitter on Monday its athletic department has hired former Mesa Skyline girls basketball head coach Chiniqua Bright for the same role.2021 May 18, Dana Scott, “Chiniqua Bright leaves Skyline to become new Basha girls basketball head coach”, in The Arizona Republic, archived from the original on 24 Jun 2021
  2. A census-designated place in Dearborn County, Indiana, United States.
  3. An unincorporated community in Roane County, West Virginia, United States.
  4. An unincorporated community in Green Grove, Clark County, Wisconsin, United States.
  5. A civil parish in York County, New Brunswick, Canada.
  6. A town in Alpine Shire, north-east Victoria, Australia.
  7. A civil parish and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland.

bright meaning in Hindi, Tamil, Marathi and Urdu

bright in Hindi

emitting much light; visually dazzling — see also luminous, radiant
चमकीला camkīlā, उज्ज्वल ujjval, रौशन rauśan

bright in Tamil

வெளிச்சமான, வெளிச்சமாக, பிரகாசமாக

bright in Marathi

bright, smart
तरतरीत taratrīt

bright in Urdu

emitting much light; visually dazzling — see also luminous, radiant
چمکیلا camkīlā, روشن rauśan, اججول ujjval
More languagesFewer languages
bright in Bengali
রওশন roōśon
bright in Telugu
ప్రకాశవంతమైన prakāśavantamaina, తెలివైన telivaina
bright in Malayalam
ഉജ്ജ്വലം ujjvalaṁ, തിളങ്ങുന്ന tiḷaṅṅunna
bright in Kannada
ಶುಕ್ರ śukra
bright in Punjabi
ਰੋਸ਼ਨ rośan, ਚਿੱਟਾ ciṭṭā
bright in Gujarati
ચળકતું caḷkatũ, પ્રકાશિત prakāśit
bright in Odia
ସଫେଦ sapheda
bright in Sanskrit
अर्जुन arjuna, उज्ज्वल ujjvala
bright in Assamese
তীখৰ tikhor
bright in Tagalog
maliwanag, matalino
bright in Arabic
لَامِع lāmiʕ, نَيِّر nayyir, سَاطِع sāṭiʕ, مُسْتَنِير mustanīr
bright in Malay
terang
bright in Indonesian
pintar
bright in Persian
روشن rowšan, زنده zende, فروزان foruzân, تابناک tâbnâk
bright in Vietnamese
sáng sủa, tươi, sáng, nhanh trí
bright in Myanmar
စို cui
Sindhi
روشَنُ rośanu, रोशनु

Examples of bright in a sentence

  • Thee Father firſt they ſung Omnipotent, / […] that brighteſt Seraphim / Approach not, but with both their wings veil thir eyes.1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert...
  • The public places were as bright as at noonday.1849, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter X, in The History of England from the Accession of James II, volume II, London: Longman, Brown...
  • He was dressed out in broad gaiters and bright tweeds, like an English tourist, and his face might have belonged to Dagon, idol of the Philistines.1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter II, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company...
  • Things are going great, and they're only getting better / I'm doing all right, getting good grades / The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades1986, Pat MacDonald, “The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades”, in Greetings from Timbuk3, performed by Timbuk3:

All 40 example sentences with bright

Synonyms of bright

30 more synonymsFewer synonyms

Antonyms

10 more antonymsFewer antonyms

All synonyms and antonyms of bright

Forms of bright

Adjective
comparativebrighter
superlativebrightest
Noun
pluralbrights
Adverb
comparativemore bright
superlativemost bright
Verb
third-person singular presentbrights
present participlebrighting
past participlebrighted
pastbrighted
second-person singular present (archaic)brightest
second-person singular past (archaic)brightedst
third-person singular present (archaic)brighteth

Origin of bright

The adjective is from Middle English bright, from Old English berht, beorht, bryht, byrht, from Proto-West Germanic *berht, from Proto-Germanic *berhtaz (“bright”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerHǵ- (“to gleam, shine, whiten”). The noun is derived from Middle English bright (“brightness, brilliance; daylight; light”), from bright (adjective): see above. Cognates Cognate with Scots bricht (“bright”), Danish bjært (“bright”), Faroese and Icelandic bjartur (“bright”), Norwegian Nynorsk bjart (“bright”), Swedish bjärt (“bright”), Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌷𐍄𐍃 (bairhts, “bright, clear; evident”); also Welsh berth (“beautiful, fair, fine”), Albanian bardhë (“white”), Lithuanian brėkšti (“to dawn”), Polish brzeżdżyć (“to dawn”), Russian бре́зжить (brézžitʹ, “to dawn”), Persian برازیدن (barâzidan, “to beautify; to befit”).

From Middle English brighte (“brightly; (figuratively) brilliantly, lustrously; of colour: boldly, vividly; clearly, distinctly; of voice: loudly”) [and other forms], from Old English breohte, beorhte (West Saxon) [and other forms], ultimately from Proto-Germanic *berhtaz (“bright, shining”); see further at etymology 1.

From Middle English brighten (“to illuminate; to become light, dawn; (figuratively) to cleanse, purify; to clarify, explain”) [and other forms], from Old English beorhtian (“to brighten, shine; to sound clearly or loudly”) [and other forms], probably from beorht (“bright, clear”, adjective) (see further at etymology 1) + -ian (suffix forming verbs from adjectives and nouns). Later uses of the word are probably also derived from the adjective.

Words formed from bright

Phrases with bright

4 more phrasesFewer phrases

Words that rhyme with bright

48 more rhymesFewer rhymes

Questions about bright

What does bright mean?
Bright means emitting much light; visually dazzling; luminous, lucent, radiant.
What is bright in Hindi?
Bright in Hindi is चमकीला (camkīlā), उज्ज्वल (ujjval), रौशन (rauśan). See Bright meaning in Hindi.
How do you use bright in a sentence?
Thee Father firſt they ſung Omnipotent, / […] that brighteſt Seraphim / Approach not, but with both their wings veil thir eyes.
What part of speech is bright?
Bright can be an adjective, a noun, an adverb or a verb.
How do you pronounce bright?
Bright is pronounced /ˈbɹaɪ̯t/ (UK).

Words near bright in the dictionary

  1. Brighe
  2. Brighella
  3. Brighenti
  4. Brighouse
  5. Brighstone
  6. bright
  7. bright and early
  8. bright and morning star
  9. bright as a button
  10. bright as a new button
  11. bright as a new coin

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: bright (page history and authors); Bright (page history and authors); bright (Tamil Wiktionary) (page history and authors); तरतरीत (Marathi) (page history and authors); ഉജ്ജ്വലം (Malayalam) (page history and authors); ಶುಕ್ರ (Kannada) (page history and authors); ਚਿੱਟਾ (Punjabi) (page history and authors); ସଫେଦ (Odia) (page history and authors); তীখৰ (Assamese) (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: En-us-bright.ogg.

Cite this entry: “bright.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/bright. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.