as in obvious
not subject to misinterpretation or more than one interpretation
there is no bright-line rule governing the issue
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Recent Examples of bright-line
Crafting bright-line tests that separate commodities from securities, or creating a new category, will be legally complex.
—
Becca Bratcher, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
There is no bright-line definition for hardship—it’s determined by the employer under the terms of the retirement plan and based on facts and circumstances.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
None of these cases, for instance, is likely to result in the full restoration of the bright-line rules established with the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, rules based in part on the lessons of our battles against authoritarian monarchy in the seventeenth century.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 20 Aug. 2024
Baron’s argument is, at first, the least problematic; the killing of his cousin is a bright-line injustice.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024
And there’s one bright-line issue that many Northern Virginia Democrats said is fundamental to them: full Virginia funding for the Metro transit system.
—Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 14 Jan. 2024
The new draft guidelines are not bright-line laws or regulations, and US antitrust enforcement will continue to reflect longstanding legal precedents, senior administration officials emphasized Tuesday in a call with reporters.
—Brian Fung, CNN, 19 July 2023
Becca Bratcher, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
There is no bright-line definition for hardship—it’s determined by the employer under the terms of the retirement plan and based on facts and circumstances.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
None of these cases, for instance, is likely to result in the full restoration of the bright-line rules established with the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, rules based in part on the lessons of our battles against authoritarian monarchy in the seventeenth century.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 20 Aug. 2024
Baron’s argument is, at first, the least problematic; the killing of his cousin is a bright-line injustice.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024
And there’s one bright-line issue that many Northern Virginia Democrats said is fundamental to them: full Virginia funding for the Metro transit system.
—Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 14 Jan. 2024
The new draft guidelines are not bright-line laws or regulations, and US antitrust enforcement will continue to reflect longstanding legal precedents, senior administration officials emphasized Tuesday in a call with reporters.
—Brian Fung, CNN, 19 July 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bright-line
Adjective
-
With its investments in AI infrastructure and obvious strengths on the power front, this is a country that is building out data centers and positioning itself as a hub for AI, entertainment, sports, finance, high-tech manufacturing and more.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
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The analyst pointed to Azure, Microsoft's cloud computing platform, as an obvious artificial intelligence beneficiary.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In March, a Turkish expat in Montevideo, Uruguay, spotted that unmistakable baby face recklessly driving a brand-new white Ferrari and caught him on a cell phone video.—
Moisés Naím,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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Closing these gaps — by proving cold chain integrity and making preparation steps unmistakable — is key to preventing devastating safety breakdowns and the category-wide PR fallout that can follow a single recall.—
Darin Detwiler,
Fortune,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The Hurricanes’ only public question mark among key contributors entering the week was edge rusher Akheem Mesidor, who sustained an apparent foot injury in the fourth quarter against Louisville.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
24 Oct. 2025
-
The Silver Hugo for Best Sound goes to SOUND OF FALLING for its ability to echo, in both its silences and thunders, the constant hum of secrets passed from one generation to the next in the apparent domestic quiet that both conceals and reveals.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
With no presumptive nominee or clear party leader after the 2024 presidential election loss, the Democratic field remains widely contested—a scenario that could reshape the party’s electoral strategy, policy direction and prospects for challenging Republican front-runners in upcoming races.—
Deputy News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Oct. 2025
-
For Moore, the answer was clear as day.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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There’s a timelessness to these spaces, but the feelings the images evoke are more nuanced and uneasy than straightforward nostalgia.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The process to reimagine the Wild West in the 21st Century wasn’t always straightforward, Dow said.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
River Revival But the transformational potential of the investments for the city is evident.—
Didi Kirsten Tatlow,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
-
His transformational role in her life is evident throughout her new book, as well.—
Lex Goldstein,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This approach is distinct from other methods that require physically touching the object.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
26 Oct. 2025
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In America’s political duopoly, smaller parties often represent distinct voices and ideologies that neverthless have little chance in most contests above the local level.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The concept is a console user interface for straightforward play, with Windows available underneath for broader software support, additional storefronts and a wider range of game types.—
Alex Harrington,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Oct. 2025
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Trump’s backing for his fellow conservative was part of a broader push to secure a political shift across Latin America, with elections pending in a number of nations.—
Daniel Flatley,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bright-line.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bright-line. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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