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brilliance

brilliance

17 4.4
A very beautiful and impressive appearance that makes something seem grand
  • noun
  • /ˈbrɪljəns/
translation icon : esplendor
  • The fireworks display was filled with the brilliance of colors that captivated everyone in the audience.
  • brilliance and splendor

It is part of the brilliance of what I call chaos theory.

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Examples

  • In the case of the book, the brilliance is truly in the journey.

    Blog text (13)
  • The Sea World water ski team in a dazzling display of coordination and brilliance.

  • If the audience views a commercial and falls in love with its brilliance, try taking the product or idea out.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Tell them that l admire the brilliance of their design.

  • Can we just just like pause on the brilliance of that invention creation, the art?

  • Many have forgotten how to be enlightened by the brilliance of the great works of cinema.

    Blog text (16)
  • Yours approached the brilliance of the Master Imagists, which is a high achievement indeed.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Stories of individual madness should not mar the brilliance and the beauty that embody teams like Barcelona.

    Blog text (20)
  • All my life, I've been in love with its color, its brilliance, its divine heaviness.

  • The main beneficiaries were Western Europe (through the brilliance of the Marshall Plan) and Japan.

    Academic text (2010)

Synonyms

excellence
vsbrilliance
150 3.2

Very high quality or skill that makes one stand out

is specifically about magnificent, splendid appearance rather than mere quality
glory
vsbrilliance
  • Literature
74 4.6

Bright, beautiful appearance that people admire

covers the same admiration but stresses magnificent overall effect
majesty
vsbrilliance
72 4.5

Great beauty and size that make you feel respect

focuses more on splendid and magnificent appearance as an effect
splendor
vsbrilliance
  • US
42 4.3

Great beauty that looks impressive and rich

stresses overall magnificent appearance and effect rather than only beauty
grandeur
vsbrilliance
14 5.9

An impressive size or beauty that makes people admire it

focuses more on magnificent visual display than on power or scale
magnificence
vsbrilliance
  • Formal
13 5.0

Great beauty that makes people feel impressed and full of wonder

is the same focus on magnificent appearance and overall effect
wonderfulness
vsbrilliance
2 4.8

A quality that makes you feel amazed and happy

focuses more narrowly on magnificent visual appearance and effect
sublimity
vsbrilliance
  • Literature
2 9.6

Great beauty or power that makes you feel deep respect and wonder

is more about magnificent visual appearance than elevated ideas
amazingness
vsbrilliance
2 3.0

Being very surprising and impressive

leans toward planned magnificent visual display rather than sudden surprise
fabulousness
vsbrilliance
1 4.4

A quality of being very impressive and wonderful

puts weight on majestic or grand appearance rather than mere attractiveness
grandness
vsbrilliance
1 4.1

Great size and beauty that makes something look impressive, like a cathedral

centers on magnificent visual effect rather than mere formal grandeur
exquisiteness
vsbrilliance
1 7.1

A very great beauty shown in delicate detail

emphasizes large magnificent appearance rather than delicate refinement
gloriousness
vsbrilliance
1 5.8

Great beauty or success that makes people admire something

emphasizes magnificent visual effect rather than only praise or honor
resplendence
vsbrilliance
  • Literature
1 9.5

A very bright and beautiful appearance that looks impressive

is broader, meaning magnificent appearance or overall splendid effect
effulgence
vsbrilliance
  • Literature
1 9.9

A very bright, shining light that fills a place

means magnificent appearance or effect more than purely bright light
brilliancy
vsbrilliance
1 7.0

A very strong brightness or quality that makes people and things stand out

leans more toward magnificent grand appearance and overall effect
resplendency
vsbrilliance
  • Literature
9.3

A bright, beautiful appearance that attracts attention

is about general magnificent appearance rather than only shining light
fulgurance
vsbrilliance
  • Literature
9.9

A bright light or great talent that amazes people

is broader, covering magnificent outward appearance beyond brightness alone
spectacularity
vsbrilliance
7.2

A quality that makes something look very impressive and dramatic

focuses on magnificent appearance in general rather than staged drama
marvelousness
vsbrilliance
  • US
4.5

A quality that makes something seem very good and impressive

is centered on grand and splendid visual effect rather than general wonder
prodigiousness
vsbrilliance
7.9

A state of being very large or amazing that makes people feel wonder

is about magnificent appearance and effect rather than size alone

Antonyms

31 6.5

A state of being average and not special

1 2.2

A surface that is not bright or shiny

Compounds

A sudden clever idea or action that solves a problem

How Magnificent

magnificence
  • Formal
13 5.0
splendor
  • US
42 4.3
brilliance
17 4.4
elegance
47 3.5
beauty
847 1.0

Surface Forms

brilliance singular
brilliances plural

Morphology

brilliance = brilliant (transparent) = brilliant + ance

Direct nominalization of the adjective 'brilliant' (meaning splendid), so the sense of visual magnificence is straightforwardly derived.

Etymology

Brilliance comes from the same root as brilliant, which meant 'to shine', like a bright jewel or a richly lit stage. So when we say a set or a palace has brilliance, we mean it looks magnificent and full of shining colour.