radiant

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparable

   Giving off or reflecting bright light, or sending out heat or energy.

   Grammar: Can come before a noun or after a linking verb: radiant heat, the sun was radiant.

   Patterns

   • radiant with something

   The radiant sun warmed the whole valley.

   A radiant heater kept the room cozy.

   The stained glass looked radiant in the morning light.

2. 2adjectivecomparablefigurative

   Showing great happiness, love or health, so that a person seems to glow.

   Grammar: Often followed by with: radiant with joy.

   Patterns

   • radiant with joy
   • look radiant

   The bride looked radiant in her mother's dress.

   He was radiant with pride at his daughter's graduation.

   After the holiday she returned radiant and rested.

Word forms

Common combinations

radiant smile

She greeted us with a radiant smile.

radiant heat

Radiant heat from the fire dried our coats.

radiant with joy

The parents were radiant with joy.

look radiant

You look radiant today.

radiant energy

The panels capture radiant energy from the sun.

Synonyms and how they differ

glowing

Glowing is warmer and softer, while radiant suggests brighter, outward-shining light or joy.

beaming

Beaming describes a wide happy smile specifically, whereas radiant covers the whole look.

luminous

Luminous stresses giving off light and is more literary or scientific.

dazzling

Dazzling is so bright or striking it nearly overwhelms, going beyond radiant.

Opposites

Word family

radiance noun

bright light, or glowing happiness

radiantly adverb

in a glowing, joyful way

radiate verb

to send out light, heat or a feeling

radiation noun

energy sent out as waves or particles

radiator noun

a device that gives out heat

Commonly confused: radiant or radioactive?

Practice

Make it your own

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

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