radiant

1 of 2

adjective

ra·​di·​ant ˈrā-dē-ənt How to pronounce radiant (audio)
1
a
: radiating rays or reflecting beams of light
b
: vividly bright and shining : glowing
2
: marked by or expressive of love, confidence, or happiness
a radiant smile
3
a
: emitted or transmitted by radiation
b
: emitting or relating to radiant heat
radiantly adverb

radiant

2 of 2

noun

: something that radiates: such as
a
: a point in the heavens at which the visible paths of meteors appear to meet when traced backward
b
: the part of a gas or electric heater that becomes incandescent
Choose the Right Synonym for radiant

bright, brilliant, radiant, luminous, lustrous mean shining or glowing with light.

bright implies emitting or reflecting a high degree of light.

brilliant implies intense often sparkling brightness.

radiant stresses the emission or seeming emission of rays of light.

luminous implies emission of steady, suffused, glowing light by reflection or in surrounding darkness.

lustrous stresses an even, rich light from a surface that reflects brightly without glittering.

Examples of radiant in a Sentence

Adjective She had a radiant inner glow. She looked radiant at her wedding.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
And why the lamp held aloft beneath a radiant, spiky sun that also contains a lightbulb? Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 Jackson’s makeup was radiant, and Fine’s nude lip appeared once again—but the most elegant feature was the singer’s pin-thin brows. Shelby Stewart, Essence, 12 Mar. 2024 Even the radiant love song at its peak is about coming to terms with exhaustion and despair. Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 12 Mar. 2024 Each morning, Jonah's radiant presence fills our halls with energy and enthusiasm, a true joy to behold. Joe Mutascio, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Mar. 2024 America Ferrera’s was radiant in De Beers 18K white gold Metamorphosis ‘Autumn’ diamond open choker necklace at the 2024 SAG Awards. Beth Bernstein, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Has Villeneuve never seen the radiant vistas of David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia? Armond White, National Review, 1 Mar. 2024 An ebony black opaline dial pops against the radiant case with eight baguette diamond hour markers, totaling 0.23 carats. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 29 Feb. 2024 Photo: Courtesy of Armani Beauty Ueda used tonal palettes and created a radiant skin canvas, to allow the eyes to really make a statement. Lauren Murdoch-Smith, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2024
Noun
Skywatchers in the northern hemisphere are in for a real treat since the radiant of this shower is situated very far north in the sky. Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 27 Dec. 2023 Where to look for the meteor shower The Eta Aquarids' radiant is lower in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere in the springtime, compared to the Southern Hemisphere. Christopher Brito, CBS News, 5 May 2023 The meteors will appear to come from a small area in the sky, known as the radiant. Alex Chun, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Apr. 2023 The Perseid radiant lies on the border between Cassiopeia and Perseus, with the latter constellation giving its name to the shower. Rich Talcott, Discover Magazine, 10 Aug. 2015 Radiant: Alternatively, radiant heaters send out radiant heat waves, which are absorbed into objects within the room. Camryn Rabideau, Peoplemag, 3 Mar. 2023 Ultra fine shimmer particles ensure that all four shades of this powder highlighter leave you looking radiant, not disco-ready. April Long, Town & Country, 26 Jan. 2023 Reign, the actor cast as Kelsa, reads as a radiant, self-confident young woman who has already figured out most of the answers, which isn’t at all the way the character seems to have been written by Ximena García Lecuona. Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 July 2022 Together, these ingredients leave my often flushed, combination skin looking radiant and noticeably less red. Rebecca Norris Updated, Peoplemag, 5 Jan. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'radiant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

circa 1741, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of radiant was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near radiant

Cite this Entry

“Radiant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/radiant. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

radiant

adjective
ra·​di·​ant
ˈrād-ē-ənt
1
a
: giving out or reflecting light
a radiant jewel
b
: vividly bright and gleaming
2
: glowing with love, confidence, or happiness
a radiant smile
3
: transmitted by radiation
radiant heat
radiantly adverb

Medical Definition

radiant

adjective
ra·​di·​ant ˈrād-ē-ənt How to pronounce radiant (audio)
1
: emitted or transmitted by radiation
2
: emitting or relating to radiant heat

More from Merriam-Webster on radiant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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