brightly

adverb

Definition of brightlynext
1
as in bright
in a manner marked by the shining or reflecting of much light the light glowed brightly

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2
as in cheerfully
in a cheerful or happy manner "And how are we today?" the nurse asked brightly

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in colorfully
in a manner that is colorful and tends to arouse gaiety parade marchers carrying brightly painted banners

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of brightly Near the brightly illuminated planet Adrian, background stars were therefore largely absent. — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 18 Oct. 2026 During our stay, the work of Croatian artist Matej Vuković was on display, bringing pops of brightly colored clouds and unique shapes to the lush green landscape. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2026 He gets pummeled by waves and rip currents while negotiating the famously difficult shore dive but is soon swimming among brightly colored marine life and undulating kelp forests that filter sunlight from the surface. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026 The compact coastal town is known for its whitewashed medina, brightly painted murals and imposing Portuguese-era ramparts overlooking the ocean. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 10 Oct. 2026 The dressing room was now populated by brightly dressed women, all of whom looked up from applying makeup to stare tightly at her in the doorframe. — Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026 Cooler gas doesn’t glow as brightly, so these patches are a little bit darker than the surrounding material. — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2026 Called PhotoTat, the inks can be switched between almost invisible and brightly coloured states using different kinds of light. — Mike McRae 09, New Atlas, 9 Oct. 2026 This whimsical style, along with a pointed-toe mule silhouette, was elevated by a slanted stiletto heel with an angular, brightly colored cap grounding it. — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brightly
  1. luminously
  2. cheerfully
  3. colorfully
  4. happily
Adverb
  • The luminously charismatic 22-year-old Canadian actor from Manitoba plays Carrie White unlike any iteration before.
    — Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
  • As night fell and West Sacramento’s Ziggurat building glowed luminously, guests returned to the sampling tables for an array of desserts.
    — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of luminously
Adverb
  • There were hundreds of bikers milling around cheerfully in the showery sunshine and proudly displaying their hogs.
    — Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The camera pans across images of Boston’s historic Fenway Park and a grim-looking Schumer, contrasting those shots with footage of Collins cheerfully hobnobbing with Maine voters.
    — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of cheerfully
Adverb
  • The Canada phenomenon reflects, albeit more colorfully, sourcing trends seen on a global scale.
    — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Union members and their supporters were dressed colorfully, clad in red or green, and their march through the Brussels city center passed off peacefully.
    — Mark Carlson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of colorfully
Adverb
  • Sometimes these stories end happily, with the hunter killing his buck and then coming back down to earth.
    — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Minutes earlier the kid was happily playing in the exam room.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of happily

Browse Nearby Words

bright-line
brightly
brightness
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Cite this Entry

“Brightly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brightly. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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