VocabularyBasePractice words

Meaning & use

radiance

noun·Advanced

Last updated

UK/ˈreɪdiəns/
US/ˈreɪdiəns/

Meanings

  1. noununcountableliterary

    A soft, bright light that seems to shine out from something.

    Grammar: No plural or article needed: the radiance of the moon.

    Patterns

    • the radiance of something
    • bathed in radiance

    The radiance of the lanterns lit up the whole garden.

    A golden radiance filled the room as the sun rose.

    Candles cast a gentle radiance over the table.

  2. noununcountablefigurative

    A glowing look of happiness, health or beauty shown by a person.

    Grammar: Often followed by of or a source: the radiance of her smile.

    Patterns

    • the radiance of someone's smile
    • a look of radiance

    The bride's radiance was obvious to everyone in the church.

    After the holiday, her face had a healthy radiance.

    He felt a quiet radiance of joy as the music began.

Common combinations

glowing radiance
The glowing radiance of the sunset reached the hills.
radiance of her smile
The radiance of her smile cheered the whole ward.
bathed in radiance
The statue stood bathed in radiance from the spotlights.
radiance of youth
Old photographs showed the radiance of youth in their faces.
inner radiance
She had an inner radiance that did not depend on makeup.

Synonyms and how they differ

glow
Glow is softer and more everyday, and it can also describe warmth from a fire, while radiance sounds brighter and more elevated.
brilliance
Brilliance suggests a sharper, more dazzling light, or great intelligence, which radiance does not.
luminosity
Luminosity is a more technical word for how much light something gives off.
splendor
Splendor stresses grand beauty and impressiveness rather than the quality of shining light.

Opposites

gloomdarkness

Word family

radiant adjective
shining brightly, or glowing with happiness
radiantly adverb
in a bright, glowing way
radiate verb
to send out light, heat or a feeling
radiation noun
energy sent out as waves or particles

Commonly confused: radiance or radiation?

radiance vs radiation

Radiation is the science term for emitted energy, often harmful, while radiance is beautiful light or glow.

Practice

Choose the best word: 'The ___ of the bride's smile lit up the room.'

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “radiance”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words