brilliantly
gb/bɹˈɪljəntli/ us/bɹˈɪljəntli/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
adverb
B2
property
1
extremely well; excellently
very well
Usage pattern:
[someone] do/perform [something] brilliantly
Common mistake:
Don’t confuse brilliantly (very well) with brightly (with a lot of light).
Synonyms
superbly (often suggests especially high quality.)
|
wonderfully (more emotional and less precise.)
|
expertly (emphasizes skill or training.)
Antonyms
badly (in a poor or unsuccessful way.)
|
poorly (not well; lacking quality.)
Collocations
work brilliantly
|perform brilliantly
|play brilliantly
|do brilliantly
|go brilliantly
|handle something brilliantly
|respond brilliantly
|brilliantly executed
|brilliantly written
|brilliantly designed
Themes
evaluation
|daily_life
|work
Examples
- The team played brilliantly in the second half.
- She handled the difficult questions brilliantly.
- The new system works brilliantly in practice.
Learner examples
- You did brilliantly on the test.
- He played brilliantly today.
adverb
C1
property
2
in a very clever way
in a very clever way
Usage pattern:
[someone] explain/solve/argue [something] brilliantly
Common mistake:
Brilliantly here praises the thinking or idea (not just the final result).
Synonyms
cleverly (more general; less strong praise.)
|
ingeniously (emphasizes creativity in solving problems.)
|
insightfully (emphasizes deep understanding.)
Antonyms
stupidly (shows a lack of intelligence or judgment.)
|
clumsily (shows lack of skill or thoughtfulness.)
Collocations
brilliantly explained
|brilliantly argued
|brilliantly observed
|brilliantly solved
|brilliantly reasoned
|brilliantly conceived
|brilliantly analytical
|brilliantly original
|brilliantly insightful
|brilliantly simple
Themes
thinking
|education
|work
Examples
- She brilliantly linked the two problems and предложила one solution.
- He brilliantly exposed a hidden assumption in the argument.
- The book brilliantly captures what it feels like to start over.
Learner examples
- She explained it brilliantly.
- That was a brilliantly clever idea.
adverb
B2
property
3
with very bright light
with a lot of light
Usage pattern:
[something] shine/glow/sparkle brilliantly
Common mistake:
Use brightly for neutral descriptions; brilliantly often sounds more emphatic or dramatic.
Synonyms
brightly (more neutral and common for literal light.)
|
dazzlingly (suggests the brightness is almost too strong.)
Antonyms
dimly (with little light.)
|
faintly (only slightly bright or visible.)
Collocations
shine brilliantly
|glow brilliantly
|sparkle brilliantly
|burn brilliantly
|brilliantly lit
|brilliantly illuminated
|brilliantly bright
|brilliantly white
|brilliantly visible
|brilliantly reflective
Themes
nature
|home
|visual
Examples
- The sun was shining brilliantly over the bay.
- The diamond glittered brilliantly under the spotlights.
- A single window glowed brilliantly in the dark street.
Learner examples
- The stars shone brilliantly.
- The room was brilliantly lit.
adverb
C1
property
4
with vivid, strong colors
with very strong colors
Usage pattern:
[something] is painted/colored brilliantly
Common mistake:
This sense is about color intensity, not intelligence or success.
Synonyms
vividly (focuses on clarity and strength of color.)
|
boldly (emphasizes strong, striking choices.)
Antonyms
dully (lacking brightness or vividness.)
|
drably (plain and lacking color.)
Collocations
brilliantly colored
|brilliantly coloured
|brilliantly painted
|brilliantly dyed
|brilliantly patterned
|brilliantly blue
|brilliantly red
|brilliantly green
|brilliantly vivid
|brilliantly saturated
Themes
art
|fashion
|visual
Examples
- The market was filled with brilliantly colored fabrics.
- Autumn leaves were brilliantly red and gold this year.
- She wore a brilliantly patterned dress that stood out in the crowd.
Learner examples
- The flowers are brilliantly colored.
Grammar
Dictionary form
brilliantly
IPA
GB/bɹˈɪljəntli/
US/bɹˈɪljəntli/
Syllables & stress
bril - liantly (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (bril)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: brilliantly
- Plural: brilliantlies
Word family
Forms
brilliantlies
noun
Core family
brilliant
adjective B1
brilliance
noun
Expressions
brilliantly clear
1/bɹˈɪljəntli klˈɪɹ/
fixed phrase
extremely clear and understandable
very clear and easy to understand
Examples
- Her explanation was brilliantly clear, even for beginners.
- The instructions are brilliantly clear and easy to follow.
brilliantly conceived
1/bɹˈɪljəntli kənsˈivd/
fixed phrase
planned in an original way
planned in a very clever way
Examples
- The app is brilliantly conceived, with each feature solving a real problem.
- It’s a brilliantly conceived story that stays surprising to the end.
brilliantly executed
1/bɹˈɪljəntli ˈɛksɪkjˌutɪd/
fixed phrase
done extremely well
done very well
Examples
- It’s a brilliantly executed plan with almost no wasted steps.
- The final scene is brilliantly executed and emotionally powerful.
brilliantly lit
1/bɹˈɪljəntli lˈɪt/
fixed phrase
illuminated with strong light
with very bright light
Examples
- The gallery was brilliantly lit, so every detail was easy to see.
- They walked into a brilliantly lit lobby after the dark street outside.
brilliantly simple
1/bɹˈɪljəntli sˈɪmpəl/
fixed phrase
surprisingly simple and effective
simple but very smart
Examples
- Her solution was brilliantly simple: change one setting and restart.
- It’s a brilliantly simple design that anyone can use immediately.