brilliantbril‧liant /ˈbrɪljənt/ ●●● S2 W3 adjective 
She closed her eyes against the brilliant light. We sat outside in the brilliant sunshine. She was dressed in brilliant white.► see thesaurus at bright, colour2clever extremely clever or skilful: I think that’s a brilliant idea. a brilliant performance a brilliant young musician► see thesaurus at intelligent3excellent British English excellent: The film was absolutely brilliant.► see thesaurus at goodGRAMMARIn this meaning, brilliant is not used with ‘very’. You say: · We had an absolutely brilliant time. ✗Don’t say: We had a very brilliant time.Grammar guide ‒ ADJECTIVES4successful very successful: He had a long and brilliant career. The project was a brilliant success.—brilliantly adverb: The sun was shining brilliantly. The goalkeeper played brilliantly.
WORD ORIGINbrilliant
Origin:
1600-1700 French present participle of briller ‘to shine’, from Italian brillare, probably from Latin beryllus; ➔ BERYLEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- "How was your trip?" "Absolutely brilliant!"
- brilliant red and yellow flowers
- a brilliant blue sky
- a brilliant historian
- a brilliant idea
- a brilliant scientist
- a long and brilliant career
- A shaft of brilliant sunlight shone through the dusty attic window.
- After a brilliant career at St Luke's Hospital she was given her own department.
- All of a sudden the stage was flooded with brilliant light.
- Have you seen her dance? She's absolutely brilliant.
- Joanna came up with a brilliant idea for a new book.
- Michael Horden gave a brilliant performance as King Lear.
- Paganini was a brilliant violinist, famous for his technical skill in both playing and composing music.
- She's brilliant at handling difficult clients.
- Suddenly, I looked up and saw a point of light that was more brilliant than any star I had ever seen.
- the brilliant lights of the stadium
- The brilliant physicist Paul Dirac first put forward this theory back in 1990.
- The decision to reorganize the company was a brilliant success.
- A brilliant mathematician and a natural-born bomb-maker.
- Being their son must have meant living constantly in the shadow of two brilliant luminaries.
- Best gross went to Eamon McCaul whose 74 was a brilliant effort in a difficult cross wind.
- Call it foolhardy or brilliant or shocking or crazy.
- Fans of the novel claim that its stomach-turning violence is a brilliant metaphor for the 1980s culture of consumerism and self-gratification.
- His true love, a brilliant student named Adrienne, died in her youth when she was struck by a car.
- Richard Perle was a brilliant, brooding defense expert with strongly neoconservative leanings.
- The new series kicks off with brilliant action shots taken at SummerSlam, the record breaking Wembley event.
THESAURUSa bright light
shining strongly: · The sunshine was very bright.· the bright light of the torch
very bright: · Photographs fade if they are exposed to strong sunlight.
extremely bright, especially in a way that seems good: · The garden was full of brilliant autumn sunshine.
a dazzling light is so bright that it hurts your eyes and you cannot look at it: · dazzling headlights· the dazzling reflection from the mirror
a blinding light is very bright and makes you unable to see for a short time after you have looked at it: · There was a sudden blinding light, followed by the sound of a huge explosion.
a harsh light is bright and unpleasant: · In the harsh light of the kitchen, she looked older than she was.
if the light is good in a place where you are working, it is bright enough for you to see what you are doing: · The light wasn’t good enough to read.
bright colours used about a colour that is strong and easy to see: · The front door was painted bright red.
used about a colour that is very bright: · I looked out at the brilliant blue sky.· vivid red flowers
British English, colorful American English used about things that have many different bright colours: · There were window boxes full of colourful flowers.
British English, multicolored American English used about things that have a pattern of many different bright colours: · A multicoloured flag waved in the midday sun.
too brightly coloured, in a way that is unattractive: · The wallpaper was much too gaudy for me.· a garish orange tie
spoken extremely good, in a way that makes you feel excited and happy – used mainly in spoken English: · The view from the top was fantastic.· He did a fantastic job.· That’s a terrific idea!· ‘I passed!’ ‘That’s terrific!’
spoken extremely good – used mainly in spoken English: · Thanks for a great afternoon.· ‘Did you have a good holiday?' ’It was great!'
extremely good – used especially about the quality of something. Excellent is more formal than fantastic/terrific or great, and is used in both spoken and written English: · Our local theatre has put on some excellent productions.· It is an excellent film.
extremely good in a way that impresses you or makes you very pleased: · She is really a wonderful person.· That’s wonderful news!
British English, marvelous American English extremely good in a way that impresses you or makes you very pleased. Marvellous sounds a little old-fashioned, but is still fairly common: · We had a marvellous dinner at a little restaurant near the hotel.· Martino’s performance was marvelous.
extremely good in a surprising and exciting way: · Standing there on top of Mount Fuji was an amazing experience.
extremely good in a surprising and exciting way. Incredible is often used when something is so good that it almost seems unlikely: · What a goal! That was incredible!· It was an incredible moment - one that I will never forget.
British English informal extremely good: · ‘How was your trip?’ ‘Absolutely brilliant!’· What a brilliant idea!
used when saying that something is so good that you cannot imagine anything better: · Their desserts are out of this world.
having a high level of mental ability, and good at thinking clearly and understanding ideas: · The top universities aim to select the most intelligent students.
especially British English, smart especially American English intelligent, so that you can think and learn quickly and find ways to solve problems: · That was very clever of you. How did you do that?· I wasn’t smart enough to be a lawyer.
intelligent – used especially about children and young people: · He’s a very bright kid.· the brightest student in the class
extremely intelligent and good at the work you do: · a brilliant scientist
a gifted child is much more intelligent than most other children: · a special school for gifted children
able to make good decisions and give sensible advice, especially because you have a lot of experience: · a wise old man
good at using your intelligence to get what you want, often by making secret plans or tricking people: · She was cunning enough to keep this latest piece of information secret.· He’s a crafty old devil!
informal intelligent and good at studying: · My sister is the brainy one in our family.
extremely good extremely good: · Your English is excellent.· She’s a superb teacher.
especially spoken extremely good: · It’s a great film.· Her cooking is wonderful.· That’s a terrific idea!
British English especially spoken extremely good: · The play was absolutely brilliant.
extremely good, in a surprising and exciting way: · New York is an amazing place.· The skating has been incredible in this competition.
used about weather that is very pleasant and sunny: · It’s a beautiful day.· The weather was just glorious.
much better than other places, people etc: · an outstanding performance· The service is always first-class.
unusually good: · Occasionally, we get a student with exceptional talent.· a woman of exceptional beauty
especially American English informal very good: · The movie was awesome.
spoken to be extremely good: · Their chocolate cake is just out of this world!
Longman Language Activatorextremely bright extremely bright and strong, but also attractive and pleasant: · All of a sudden the stage was flooded with brilliant light.· A shaft of brilliant sunlight shone through the dusty attic window.· Suddenly, I looked up and saw a point of light that was more brilliant than any star I had ever seen.
a blinding light is so bright that you cannot see for a short time after you have looked into it : · There was a blinding flash and then a loud bang.· The sun on the snow is blinding.· The blinding glare of our headlights frightened the deer.
a dazzling light is so bright that it hurts your eyes and makes it difficult for you to see: · We walked out of the cinema into dazzling sunshine.· The sun was so dazzling that it was impossible to even look at its reflection in the water.
extremely bright - use this about the sun, or about lights that you can see from a long way away: · The blazing lights of the casino shone out across the bay.· At twilight, the blazing orange sunset turned into a muted pink.
brightly coloured a bright colour is strong and very easy to notice: · The artist clearly loved bright colours.· If you are cycling at night, always wear something bright.bright blue/red/yellow etc: · The front door was painted bright red.· a bright yellow van
British /colorful American having a lot of different colours, especially bright colours: · The garden was full of colourful and fascinating flowers.· That's a really colourful tie you're wearing.· Stunning tropical fish swim in and out of the colorful rock formations.
: brilliant white/blue/green etc so bright that it almost hurts your eyes to look at it: · a brilliant blue sky· The room was painted a brilliant white.
British /multicolored American having several different colours, especially bright colours: · A giant multicoloured flag waved in the midday sun.· A group of women sat around talking, their multi-coloured dresses radiant.
something that is gaudy has too many different colours or is too brightly coloured, with the result that it looks cheap and in bad taste: · I didn't like the decorations - they looked rather gaudy.· She smelled of cheap perfume and wore gaudy clothing and fake costume jewellery.
too brightly coloured in a way that is unpleasant to look at: · Her hair had been dyed a garish shade of red.· The streets are lined with garish neon signs.· The traditional designs have been replaced by much more garish colours.
vibrant colours are very bright and strong - used when you like these colours very much: · the vibrant reds and oranges of the leaves in autumn· The streets of the capital are vibrant with color.
lurid colours are too bright and look very unattractive - used when you dislike these colours: · The carpets were a lurid shade of green.
something you like or enjoy very much · Did you have a good weekend?· It's one of the best books I've ever read.· That smells good. What are you cooking?· There's nothing good on TV these days.· This year's show was much better than last year's.very/really good · We enjoyed our trip to Canada. It was really good.
pleasant or enjoyable: · I hope you have a nice vacation.· Come over on Saturday. It would be nice to see you.very/really nice: · She made us a really nice dinner.
spoken also excellent extremely good: · Thanks for a great afternoon.· "Did you have a good holiday?'' "It was great!''· Our local theatre has put on some excellent productions.· an excellent film
so good that it could not be made any better: · It was a perfect day out.· This church is a perfect example of Gothic architecture.· "How was your holiday?'' "Oh, just perfect!''
spoken very good in a way that makes you feel happy or excited: · The kids had a marvellous time at the carnival.· You get a wonderful view of the mountains from here.· The special effects in the movie were just fantastic.· Their latest album's terrific.
very good in a surprising and exciting way: · Standing there on top of Mount Fuji was an amazing experience.· What a goal! That was just incredible!
spoken extremely good: · You should come to the new sports centre - it's brilliant.· "How was your trip?" "Absolutely brilliant!"
American spoken very good or enjoyable: · That's such a neat car.really neat: · The fireworks over Golden Gate Park were really neat.
spoken use this to say that something is so good, enjoyable etc, that it is almost the best you have ever experienced: · Her new apartment's out of this world!· This is the best soufflé I've ever tasted -- it's out of this world.
good ideas/plans/suggestions · "Why don't you write to your bank and ask for a loan?'' "That's a good idea.''· I thought it would be a good idea to arrive early.· That's the best suggestion you've made all day.· The best way of getting your children to learn foreign languages is to send them to stay abroad.
extremely good: · We were given some excellent financial advice by Mr Samuel.· That sounds like an excellent idea to me.
spoken informal a great idea is one that you like very much: great idea: · "Let's have a barbecue." "That's a great idea."great!: · "You want to go to a movie instead?" "Yeah, great, why not!"
American spoken say this when you think an idea is good because it is original and clever: · Jim and I need more time together away from the kids, so we came up with this neat idea of meeting after work.· "Why don't we go to the beach!'' "Yeah that sounds really neat.''
extremely good, in a way that makes you feel happy or excited: · I've just though of a fantastic idea.· "What do you think of Kate's suggestion?'' "I think it's terrific.''
British informal extremely good and clever: · "Maybe we should invite them over here instead of going to their place." "Brilliant!"· Joanna came up with a brilliant idea for a new book.
: attractive offer/proposition/package etc one that is very good and makes you want to accept it: · The job pays well and you get a company car and 30 days holiday a year -- it's certainly an attractive offer.· We've put together what we think is a very attractive package, including discounts, special offers, and free credit.
a good performance/piece of work/achievement · Harry's work is always very good.· Rosemary does a good job here.· It's the best performance we've seen from Giggs all season.· Her grades are getting better all the time.
extremely good: · They complimented her on her excellent English.· Many studies reported excellent results with the drug.
an outstanding performance or achievement is extremely good and much better than that of most other people: · It was an outstanding performance by a talented young actor.· Her work has been outstanding all year.
extremely good, and showing an unusually high level of skill or intelligence: · Michael Horden gave a brilliant performance as King Lear.· After a brilliant career at St Luke's Hospital, she was given her own department.· The decision to reorganize the company was a brilliant success.
something that is impressive is of an unusually good quality and you admire it: · The school's examination results were very impressive.· an impressive achievement
much better than the usual standard: · He writes good essays, but I wouldn't say that his work is particularly exceptional.· Merits are given as an honour for exceptional achievement.
formal something that is admirable has good qualities that make you like and admire it: · It is an admirable book, the first to tell the whole truth about the war.
very good at doing something: great actor/player/scientist etc one of the best actors, players etc in the world, and famous and respected because of this: · Olivier was a great actor.· Some of the world's greatest athletes will be competing in the Olympic Games.· McEnroe was possibly the greatest tennis player of all time.
extremely clever and skilful at something, so that people admire you a lot: · Have you seen her dance? She's absolutely brilliant.· Paganini was a brilliant violinist, famous for his technical skill in both playing and composing music.brilliant at especially British: · She's brilliant at handling difficult clients.
extremely good at something: · Andrew had always been an excellent student.· She's enthusiastic and hardworking and has the potential to be an excellent teacher.
so good at doing something that you are noticeably much better than other people who do the same thing: · Woods is an outstanding golfer.· The book is a series of interviews with outstanding artists and writers.· A lot of my teachers were good, but Farley was outstanding.
extremely intelligent a brilliant scientist, student, lawyer etc is one who is extremely intelligent and extremely successful at what they do: · The brilliant physicist Paul Dirac first put forward this theory back in 1990.· a brilliant historian
someone with a very high level of intelligence, which only a few people have, especially someone who has original and important ideas: · Perot was a wonderful businessman and a genius in his own way.mathematical/musical/artistic etc genius: · Einstein was probably the greatest mathematical genius of all time.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY She closed her eyes against the brilliant light. We sat outside in the brilliant sunshine. I think that’s a brilliant idea. The film was absolutely brilliant. He had a long and brilliant career. The project was a brilliant success.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES a brilliant flash of light a bright child with an enquiring mind
1bright brilliant light or colour is very bright and strong: She closed her eyes against the brilliant light. We sat outside in the brilliant sunshine. I think that’s a brilliant idea. The film was absolutely brilliant. He had a long and brilliant career. The project was a brilliant success.· The house they bought was an amazing bargain.
(=very successful)· She retired last year after a distinguished career as a barrister.
a brilliant flash of light· What a great idea!
(=very good to watch)· We're sure it's going to be another great match.
a bright child with an enquiring mind· Rogers gave a brilliant performance of Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1.
· We stepped out of the plane into the bright sunshine of Corfu.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· The Heguy cousins were absolutely brilliant, and both played a wonderful game, scoring most of the goals between them!· And-guess what-it sounds absolutely brilliant. $ band pieces are impressive enough.· Admit it - as scams go, this one is absolutely brilliant.· Male speaker Absolutely brilliant, just look at it.· I've just bought Moby's album, Play-it's absolutely brilliant.· The fashion parade was absolutely brilliant.
· Everyone he had shown it to had described it as brilliant, and by all accounts it was; rejection hurt.· You mean, I suppose, that society here is not as brilliant?· She was rather younger than me and known to be as brilliant as her hair.· An album as brilliant today as when it was released.
· It was already dark but the square glowed with marquee brilliance, and none more brilliant than the Empire's.· From 1918 to 1923 there are four more brilliant fireballs over rural areas on land.· Thus a man can make his love more and more brilliant throughout life.· My eyes have to adjust to a more brilliant light.
· The mass effect was of a light but most brilliant ultramarine.· The most brilliant societies and civilizations, however, presuppose within their own borders cultures and societies of a more elementary kind.· But he was the most brilliant strategist and politician that Athens ever had.· Arguably he was one of the most brilliant athletes, white or black, ever to play baseball.· He was widely regarded as having one of the most brilliant minds in the Royal Navy.· I knew her when she was at her most brilliant.· These qualities spring forth in every area of the movie and find their most brilliant focus in De Niro's performance.
· Aunt Hortense: They certainly do Bertie, they're quite, quite brilliant!· He studied philosophy and religion and by all accounts was quite brilliant.· The lighting had been quite brilliant.· Unless they are quite brilliant, jokes are best avoided in essays.· It was then that King Richard came up with a quite brilliant solution.· In fact he was quite brilliant and promoted almost at once.· I think the way in which they organize that side of things is quite brilliant.
· But it's not so brilliant for any shareholders who sold at the float price.· The great Trojan champion had never before shown himself so brilliant and so brave.· My brilliant plan was not so brilliant after all.
NOUN· It's Jan's brilliant career that's the problem.· His brilliant career as attorney lifted him into prominence and gave him acceptance as spokesman for the untouchables.· Throughout his brilliant career with Airdrie, Newcastle, Chelsea and Derby, controversy followed his every move.· In 1921 Maitland's previously brilliant career ended in misfortune and tragedy.
· The brilliant colours make even the glossiest illustration seem dull by comparison.· How it hurt, as their brilliant colours dried in the light.· Music Voice over Many cottage gardeners avoid brilliant colours, fearing they look too gaudy.· Art Deco has come to mean brilliant colours, curved upholstery and angular, geometric designs.
· Then, when it is all over ... Out of the darkness there came a single brilliant flash.· Over 20, 000 residents are awakened by a brilliant flash of light and heat to find their city in flames.· The brilliant flash of wing colours in the Butterfly House are alone worth a visit.· The water poured off the roofs in torrents, and thunderstorms rent the night skies with brilliant flashes of lightning.
· Then Pat and George had a brilliant idea.· When I awoke, though, I had a brilliant idea.· But interspersed with these brilliant ideas have come some terrible errors.· Last year, I had what in all due modesty I shall call a brilliant idea.· Their keen intellects and powerful personalities could spark off more than just brilliant ideas at times.· Many experts, however, reckoned they had the germ of a brilliant idea.· Nixon had some brilliant ideas, but he did not build the constituency necessary to carry them out.
· As I climb, I think of the butterflies, the dreams of the holy men, fluttering in a brilliant light.· And then there was a brilliant light and the Beast turned into a handsome prince.· Beams of brilliant light jerked across the far wall and, slowly, the bars began to char.· It casts a brilliant light on everyone around him.· And, as their pressure increased, Laura felt a brilliant light seeming to explode in both her mind and body.· Robert could see the brilliant light flooding the Bloomsbury street outside.· My eyes have to adjust to a more brilliant light.· I wore my dark glasses even for these few moments, as my blue eyes were always straining in the brilliant light.
· For a brilliant man, you can be very naïve.· By 1922 the team of brilliant men who had governed for the past six years could not but see themselves as irreplaceable.· He was a classical example of a brilliant man, an academic, who lacked commonsense and elementary manners.· In short, he was a brilliant man of contradictions.
· He was widely regarded as having one of the most brilliant minds in the Royal Navy.· It came to me that this was a defining moment in the relationship between these two brilliant minds.· You forget the political pressures and relax in the company of brilliant minds.
· He turned in a brilliant performance when guiding his four to a 26-but it was defeat on the remaining three rinks.· Snipes gives a brilliant performance as a man caught in a moral dilemma.· This was a game which, once again, produced a brilliant performance from 82 year-old George Mitchell.· As their brilliant performance in the Gulf War later demonstrated so vividly, our new management system corrected that vexing problem.· Keith Richardson says it was a brilliant performance and they were helped by the tremendous support from the Gloucester fans.
· He greeted them both with exaggerated gesturing and a brilliant smile which augured well for the next twenty-one days.
· They were led by a suave and brilliant student called Granville Sharpe-Pattison.· His true love, a brilliant student named Adrienne, died in her youth when she was struck by a car.· After a brilliant student career at the Sorbonne he was called to the Paris Bar in 1926.· Roderick, from Rowlands Gill, County Durham, was described as a brilliant student with a great future.· They follow an all night drink and drugs party at which a brilliant student died.· Read in studio An inquest has opened on a brilliant student found hanging in her room at an Oxford college.
· If the former, then the decision, after a nerve-testing time-lag, was a brilliant success.· The concerto was a brilliant success for Barber and Browning.· He is in the winter of his years: august, sophisticated, clearly a brilliant success.· Since then Milton Keynes has been called a brilliant success, and a place with no heart or soul.· Some are already in use, and have achieved brilliant success.
· The brilliant sunshine seemed to be mocking her.· When I left the Trowbridge house, I stood still, blinking in the brilliant sunshine.· Flanked by the two men, they walked down a wide marble staircase, and out into the brilliant sunshine.· But money and the recession were forgotten as I skied in the brilliant sunshine of Obergurgl just a few days before Christmas.
She closed her eyes against the brilliant light. We sat outside in the brilliant sunshine. She was dressed in brilliant white.► see thesaurus at bright, colour2clever extremely clever or skilful: I think that’s a brilliant idea. a brilliant performance a brilliant young musician► see thesaurus at intelligent3excellent British English excellent: The film was absolutely brilliant.► see thesaurus at goodGRAMMARIn this meaning, brilliant is not used with ‘very’. You say: · We had an absolutely brilliant time. ✗Don’t say: We had a very brilliant time.Grammar guide ‒ ADJECTIVES4successful very successful: He had a long and brilliant career. The project was a brilliant success.—brilliantly adverb: The sun was shining brilliantly. The goalkeeper played brilliantly.