radiant

adjective
ra·​di·​ant | \ ˈrā-dē-ənt How to pronounce radiant (audio) \

Definition of radiant

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1a : 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
3a : emitted or transmitted by radiation
b : emitting or relating to radiant heat

radiant

noun

Definition of radiant (Entry 2 of 2)

: 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

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Other Words from radiant

Adjective

radiantly adverb

Synonyms for radiant

Synonyms: Adjective

aglow, beaming, bright, glowing, sunny

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Choose the Right Synonym for radiant

Adjective

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

Tired but radiant, that boy’s face grown old is grown young again with a look of something even deeper than relief. Mark Mahaney, Smithsonian, "Danny Thompson’s Blazing Nitromethane-Fueled Pursuit of Racing Glory," 10 July 2019 The exfoliating nature of waxing will help your skin to be soft, smooth, and more radiant, while your hair will grow in much softer and sparser. Maya Allen, Marie Claire, "How to Make Your Bikini Wax Less Painful, According to Experts," 1 Apr. 2019 The candle collection consists of four candles/unique scents; Pine of the Light Candle (green like a serpent), Amber Balm Candle (regal in navy), Exquisite Almond Candle (rich in burgundy), and Carrousel (radiant in gold). Katelyn Chef, Teen Vogue, "5 Harry Potter Holiday Candles," 9 Nov. 2018 But the celestial show really favors viewers in the Southern Hemisphere, where the radiant point will be higher in the sky. Andrew Fazekas, National Geographic, "Saturn at its best, and more top stargazing events in July," 1 July 2019 The cream left skin looking 32% smoother and more radiant after just one week of use. The Good Housekeeping Institute, Good Housekeeping, "GH Seal Spotlight: RoC Retinol Correxion Max Daily Hydration Crème," 24 June 2019 If the two movies had to compete in a beauty pageant, of course the judges would favor the contestant that was softer, nicer, more empathetic, less calculating, and radiant like the sun. Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, "“Drop Dead Gorgeous,” Which Is Finally Streaming, Is Possibly My Favorite Movie of All Time," 5 July 2019 Indeed, his radiant smile belies the challenges of a young man who is progressively going blind and no longer has any night vision capacity. Phillip Morris, cleveland.com, "Retinitis pigmentosa stole his eyesight, not his vision: Phillip Morris," 30 June 2019 Visit during the Winter Lights Festival in February to see Hallgrímskirkja blanketed by a vibrant light installation, one of six buildings that transform into radiant works of art during the celebration. Rumela Basu, National Geographic, "Iceland’s tallest church was inspired by volcanoes," 27 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'radiant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of radiant

Adjective

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

Noun

circa 1741, in the meaning defined above

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More Definitions for radiant

radiant

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of radiant

: having or showing an attractive quality of happiness, love, health, etc.
: bright and shining
technical : sent out from something in rays or waves that you cannot see

radiant

adjective
ra·​di·​ant | \ ˈrā-dē-ənt How to pronounce radiant (audio) \

Kids Definition of radiant

1 : giving out or reflecting rays of light the radiant sun
2 : glowing with love, confidence, or joy a radiant smile
3 : transmitted by radiation

radiant

adjective
ra·​di·​ant | \ ˈrād-ē-ənt How to pronounce radiant (audio) \

Medical Definition of radiant

1 : emitted or transmitted by radiation
2 : emitting or relating to radiant heat