bright
BRYT
Bright (adj) means giving off or full of strong light. Example: “The bright morning sun woke her early.”
adj
1
Giving off or full of strong light.
"The bright morning sun woke her early."
"They painted the room in bright yellow."
"The kitchen was bright and warm once she opened the curtains."
2
Quick-witted or intelligent.
"She was one of the brightest students in her class."
"He is a bright boy who picks up new languages quickly."
"It was a bright idea to bring a torch on the walk."
3
Cheerful, optimistic, or full of promise.
"He gave a bright smile despite the bad news."
"The future looks bright for the new company."
"She woke up feeling bright and ready for the day ahead."
How to use bright
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFull of light, clever, or cheerful and hopeful, depending on context.
Easily confused with
brite
Common pairings
bright idea
bright future
bright colours
bright and early
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Word forms
- Plural
- brights
- Third person singular
- brights
- Past tense
- brighted
- Comparative
- brighter, more bright
- Superlative
- brightest, most bright
- Archaic forms
- brightest, brightedst, brighteth
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ morning sun woke her early.
Etymology
From Old English beorht/bryht, an ancient Germanic word meaning "to gleam or shine", related to words for "dawn" in Lithuanian and Russian.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for bright
See all rhymes for bright →Frequently asked questions
What does “bright” mean?
The word “bright” means giving off or full of strong light. In plain terms, full of light, clever, or cheerful and hopeful, depending on context.
How do you pronounce “bright”?
“Bright” is pronounced BRYT (/ˈbɹaɪ̯t/ in IPA).
How do you use “bright” in a sentence?
Here is “bright” used in a sentence: “The bright morning sun woke her early.”
What part of speech is “bright”?
“Bright” is an adjective.
Where does the word “bright” come from?
The word “bright” comes from Old English. From Old English beorht/bryht, an ancient Germanic word meaning "to gleam or shine", related to words for "dawn" in Lithuanian and Russian.
Is “bright” a common word?
“Bright” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “bright” have?
“Bright” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: giving off or full of strong light.
What is the difference between 'bright' and 'brite'?
Bright is the correct, standard spelling of the word meaning full of strong light. Brite is a non-standard, simplified spelling seen mainly in brand names, product names, and casual signage. It is not accepted in formal writing, where bright is always the right choice.
Does 'bright' also mean clever?
Yes. Besides describing strong light, bright is often used to mean intelligent or quick to learn, as in 'a bright student'. It can also suggest cheerfulness or promise, as in 'a bright future' or 'a bright smile'. The core idea of light carries over into these warmer, figurative meanings.
What is the opposite of bright?
When bright refers to light, its opposite is dim, dull, or dark. A bright room is well lit, while a dim one is not. In the sense of intelligence, the opposite would be slow or dull, and in the sense of colour, bright contrasts with muted or faded.
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