1
as in bright
in a manner marked by the shining or reflecting of much light
the light glowed brightly
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cheerfully
in a cheerful or happy manner
"And how are we today?" the nurse asked brightly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in colorfully
in a manner that is colorful and tends to arouse gaiety
parade marchers carrying brightly painted banners
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brightly
At that moment, the sun began to shine brightly, the wind picked up and the curtain fluttered violently.
—
Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 26 Apr. 2026
But while the hallways look full and the display windows are brightly lit and well-stocked, many people enter and leave empty-handed.
—Cnn Staff, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
The building front exterior is brightly lighted at night.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
Venus will shine brightly, while Uranus and the Pleiades become easier to spot as darkness falls.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
However, weak acids can bleach brightly colored or dark fabrics and damage delicate fabrics.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2026
Fort Lauderdale airport travelers may catch some vacation vibes at the sight of seven brightly colored bird sculptures that resemble large pool floats.
—Megan Vaz, Sun Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
And then, those stars shine brightly and blow off the material surrounding them.
—Big Think, 17 Apr. 2026
Inside, the restaurant resembles any neighborhood spot that slings fresh carne asada tacos, with tight seating and brightly colored walls.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 26 Apr. 2026
But while the hallways look full and the display windows are brightly lit and well-stocked, many people enter and leave empty-handed.
—Cnn Staff, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
The building front exterior is brightly lighted at night.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
Venus will shine brightly, while Uranus and the Pleiades become easier to spot as darkness falls.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
However, weak acids can bleach brightly colored or dark fabrics and damage delicate fabrics.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2026
Fort Lauderdale airport travelers may catch some vacation vibes at the sight of seven brightly colored bird sculptures that resemble large pool floats.
—Megan Vaz, Sun Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
And then, those stars shine brightly and blow off the material surrounding them.
—Big Think, 17 Apr. 2026
Inside, the restaurant resembles any neighborhood spot that slings fresh carne asada tacos, with tight seating and brightly colored walls.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brightly
Adverb
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Indeed, Calvin is cheerfully lobotomizing a snowman.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Apr. 2026
-
In Atlanta, my hometown airport, cheerfully marketed as the world’s busiest, had descended into organized chaos.—
Bill Barrow,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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The characters are colorfully dressed but also comfortably.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
9 Apr. 2026
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Sean McGinley’s sound design ties it all together with atmospheric cues that bridge the eras as do Jamie Godwin’s colorfully gorgeous projection designs.—
Michelle F. Solomon,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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Others are luminously, freakishly beautiful, in ways that seem designed to appeal to beings from other solar systems.—
Rosa Lyster,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
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Bogdanovich’s breakthrough came in 1971 with The Last Picture Show, an ensemble drama about growing up in a small Texas town, sensitively told and luminously shot.—
Lili Anolik,
Vanity Fair,
12 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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They’re both intended for use in Google’s supercomputers, which the company happily rents out (hourly or long-term) to clients like Anthropic, OpenAI, and Meta.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
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And the whole business proves, happily, to have a lot of heart — broken sometimes, but that’s life, even in Toontown.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brightly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brightly. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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