brilliant
of surpassing excellence
How often you will meet it
Rank 1,667 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 10,925 times across 155,139 chapters — 0.005% of every word in the library.
What it means
adjective
- of surpassing excellence also: superb a brilliant performancea superb actor
- having or marked by unusual and impressive intelligence also: brainy, smart as a whip our project needs brainy womena brilliant mind
- characterized by grandeur also: glorious, magnificent, splendid the brilliant court life at Versaillesa glorious work of art
- having strong or striking color also: bright, vivid bright dressbrilliant tapestries
- full of light; shining intensely a brilliant starbrilliant chandeliers
- clear and sharp and ringing also: bright the bright sound of the trumpet sectionthe brilliant sound of the trumpets
brilliant in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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Investigating magistrate since 1859, he had rapidly acquired the most brilliant reputation.
The Lerouge Case · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1
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The dark side of the most brilliant lives has no mysteries for him.
Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1
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John, of course, good fellow though he is, could hardly be called a brilliant conversationalist.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles · Agatha Christie · Chapter 1
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She attempted to count their numerous little faces, so regular, so finely cut into hexagons, more polished, more brilliant than diamonds.
Piccolissima · Adélaïde de Montgolfier · Chapter 1
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But there stood great woods on the slopes beyond--old, tall, and brilliant, like unfaded tapestries against the walls of a ruined house.
Actions and reactions · Rudyard Kipling · Chapter 1