How to pronounce brilliant
Say it like BRIL-yunt. Brilliant has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BRIL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce brilliant. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BRIL
- yunt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Brilliant pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BRILSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- yuntKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of brilliant
American and British speakers say brilliant in essentially the same way: /ˈbrɪljənt/ in the US and /ˈbrɪljənt/ in the UK.
British respelling: BRIL-yunt.
What does brilliant mean?
- of surpassing excellence“a brilliant performance”“a superb actor”
- having or marked by unusual and impressive intelligence“our project needs brainy women”“a brilliant mind”
- characterized by grandeur“the brilliant court life at Versailles”“a glorious work of art”
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with brilliant
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of brilliant.
Questions about saying brilliant
How do you pronounce brilliant?
Say BRIL-yunt. The American pronunciation is /ˈbrɪljənt/. In British English it is /ˈbrɪljənt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in brilliant?
Brilliant has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BRIL). Broken into parts: BRIL · yunt.
Do Americans and Brits say brilliant the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈbrɪljənt/ and the British form is /ˈbrɪljənt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.