Meaning 1
Displaying unusually keen intelligence or insight.
Reach for it when reserving the strongest intellectual praise for exceptional thinking
The brilliant analyst found the accounting error by comparing two overlooked dates.
Meaning 2
Exceptionally impressive in quality, execution, or effect.
Reach for it when celebrating work or a performance that stands well above the ordinary
Her brilliant final movement brought the audience to its feet.
| Meaning 1 | Meaning 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| everyday |
| |
| professional |
| |
| formal | ||
| literary |
everyday
Fits when fast perception is more important than depth
Careful A sharp observer need not produce brilliant ideas.
professional
Fits when sustained evidence points to unusual aptitude
Careful Gifted suggests capacity; brilliant may praise a particular display of thought.
professional
Fits when originality in solving a difficult problem is central
Careful Ingenious praises the solution, not necessarily the person's overall intellect.
professional
Fits when understanding beneath the surface deserves praise
Careful Insightful does not cover calculation, memory, or other forms of brilliance.
formal
Fits when someone clearly exceeds the norm without specifying how
Careful Exceptional is broader and less explicitly intellectual.
professional
Fits when command of craft is the reason for admiration
Careful Masterful assumes developed control, not simply a brilliant first idea.
professional
Fits when measurable performance rises above peers
Careful For a tender card or spontaneous reaction, outstanding can sound like an appraisal form.
formal
Fits when polished quality needs strong but controlled approval
Careful Superb does not carry the flash or intellectual association of brilliant.
literary
Fits when virtuosity or spectacle overwhelms the audience
Careful Quietly excellent work can be brilliant without being dazzling.
brilliant mind
Her brilliant mind moved easily between engineering detail and public policy.
brilliant idea
The brilliant idea removed a whole step from the emergency procedure.
brilliant performance
His brilliant performance balanced precision with genuine warmth.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated
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