noun

• 1The quality or state of giving out or reflecting light.

  ‘we can change the brightness of the bulb’

  More example sentences

  • ‘the comet's brightness had dimmed’
  • ‘The amount of radiant energy or intensity of light determines the brightness of a seen surface.’
  • ‘To gauge a bulb's brightness, look to the lumens rating on the packaging.’
  • ‘The system takes a minute to warm up the LCD to full brightness, which is a minor annoyance.’
  • ‘Tuning down the brightness to make the blacks look blacker loses shadow details in other parts of the image.’
  • ‘This can increase brightness by 40 percent and get rid of the rainbow effect.’
  • ‘The brightness from the lamps adds splendor and grandeur to the whole show.’
  • ‘The telescopes looked for a brief dimming in a star's brightness, indicating a planet might have moved across the star's face.’
  • ‘She folded her shawl over her arm and enjoyed the brightness of the sun and the clear blue of the sky.’
  • ‘The new approach to locating planets depends upon observing changes in the level of brightness of light that distant stars emit.’
  • ‘Others used pencil erasers to restore old lucky pennies to their original brightness.’

  1. 1.1The quality or state of being well lit.
     ‘his mother called to him from the brightness of the kitchen’
     More example sentences

     • ‘The more variety you have in wattage, the more you'll be able to set the brightness of the room with precision.’
     • ‘My eyes indirectly saw a dark splotch on the usual brightness of the parlor.’
     • ‘He ascended the flight of stairs that led into the relative brightness of the basement.’
     • ‘When he had passed through the passenger car and entered the one beyond, she turned away to the dimmed brightness of the coach.’
     • ‘From under his blue cloak, he drew a sword that made the brightness of the hall more bright.’
     • ‘She couldn't remember ever having been as profoundly relieved as when she stumbled into the fire-lit brightness of the fort.’
     • ‘I walked out quietly, closing my eyes before I faced the otherworldly brightness of the hotel lobby.’
     • ‘From the brightness of the hallway they climbed the darkened staircase, carefully, as if it was fragile and could break with a heavy step.’
     • ‘The rules include requiring dancers to keep four feet from customers and increasing the minimum lighting—think parking-garage brightness.’
     • ‘All my neighbors already have their displays of lights set to Yankee Stadium brightness.’
  2. 1.2Sunny, cloudless weather.
     ‘the brightness will linger through Wednesday’
     More example sentences

     • ‘the brightness of a winter's day’
     • ‘Had it not been for the warmth and brightness of Monday, when I arrived here, I should have supposed that all sunshine had left Brook Farm forever.’
     • ‘It was a clear day, a sunny day, a day of brightness and splendor.’
     • ‘It is like the brightness after the rain, making grass sprout from the earth.’
     • ‘We managed to get most of our shots done in a short period of brightness before the storm clouds threatened.’
     • ‘The brightness on the day of his funeral was fitting for the man who loved light.’
     • ‘Despite the brightness of the day, there is a somber undercurrent about the race as news of the cyclist's death quietly spreads.’
  3. 1.3The quality of being vividly and boldly coloured.
     ‘he adds brightness to the dishes by tossing in fresh herbs’
     More example sentences

     • ‘But Nev was struck by the brightness of her short yellow curls and her piercing blue eyes.’
     • ‘The brightness of his ultramarine eyes surrounded in kohl was intensified ten fold as he gazed upon the same land I had been.’
     • ‘The brightness of a rainbow has more to do with the size of individual water droplets than with the density of rainfall.’
     • ‘I had the impression that the screaming brightness of their leaves had indeed faded in the past several minutes.’
     • ‘And everything's color is altered by the brightness of the flower's head.’
     • ‘I loved the brightness of the fabric.’
     • ‘It's a very vibrant medium pink, but not to the point that it has that tacky brightness about it.’
     • ‘Maybe the brightness of his necktie was chosen to generate excitement.’
     • ‘What you get is the smokiness of the pancetta, the flavor-charge of the garlic, the brightness of the broccoli, the perkiness of the cheese.’
     • ‘The most noticeable thing was not the brightness of the floral displays, but the marvelous scent that filled the air.’

• 2The quality of being intelligent and quick-witted.

  ‘he reminded me of my first son with his brightness and inquisitiveness’

  More example sentences

  • ‘This is an example of the brightness of Einstein to distinguish between the obvious and what cannot be accepted without a previous analysis.’
  • ‘The future welfare of the society is closely interwoven with the brightness of the child and its careful upbringing.’
  • ‘If you can do that, you can find the key to unlock the brightness of the student and can probably gift the world with one of its best talented inhabitants.’
  • ‘The kid's brightness is overrated.’
  • ‘As a young boy, my father-in-law felt blessed by his older cousin, who recognized his brightness and gave him a word game.’
  • ‘He speaks of an 'evident luster' that displays a kind of clarity and brightness to the attentive mind.’
  • ‘It's unfair that despite his obvious brightness, school will probably always be hard for him.’

• 3The quality of being cheerful or lively.

  ‘there's so much light and brightness in their faces’

  More example sentences

  • ‘It is a festival of joy, splendor, and brightness and happiness.’
  • ‘I said to the patient, with feigned brightness, "You're in one of the best hospitals in the country, with one of the best transplant teams."’
  • ‘These children are generally full of energy and brightness, alert and on the go the whole time.’
  • ‘This brings brightness to the eyes, more energy and happiness.’
  • ‘It is our will to bring some fun and brightness into our lives.’
  • ‘I find that the brightness of jazz lifts people's spirit, getting away from the stuffy old hymns of the last century or two.’
  • ‘He can light up a room with the sparkle in his eyes and the brightness of his smile.’
  • ‘One advantage would be his projection of youthful brightness and enthusiasm.’
  • ‘Maybe it's seen as a way of provoking a joyful feeling of brightness and well-being.’
  • ‘If you're feeling generous—for no particular reason other than your wanting to bestow some fluffy brightness on this corner of the world—I've put this on my Wish List.’

  1. 3.1Success and happiness.
     ‘there had been some brightness in her life’
     More example sentences

     • ‘For now there are just the vestiges of the past—triumphs and disappointments alike—and the brightness of things to come.’
     • ‘She has moved beyond the troubles of her past, but she has not yet reached the brightness of her future.’
     • ‘Her approach to this land was marked by smiles, which evidenced the brightness of her prospects.’
     • ‘I’m calling you now to see the brightness of this situation.’
     • ‘Look at the brightness of what lies ahead and work out a way to make it come to you.’
     • ‘If we can understand, experienc, and practice this path, life will be filled with infinite brightness and cheer.’

• 4The quality in sound of being clear, vibrant, and typically high-pitched.

  ‘tone alters the brightness of the sound’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Of all the factors that affect the brightness of the tone, the wood of the guitar body is near the bottom of that list.’
  • ‘Add sonic brightness more effectively than you can with traditional equalization.’
  • ‘One of the most consistent outcomes from such timbre experiments is that brightness is an important factor.’
  • ‘The intimate setting and acoustical brightness of the building make it an ideal setting for a concert.’
  • ‘The two violas produce an earthy sound breaking the silvery brightness of the flute and violin.’