brimful

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "brimful" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is filled to the top or overflowing with a particular quality or substance. Example: "The basket was brimful of ripe, juicy apples, ready for the harvest festival."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Oriental rugs on parquet floors, french windows to balcony and garden, bedrooms brimful of interest: she collects simple things from long-gone days.

The Guardian - Travel

You need to go out there and be brimful of confidence and have a real resolute determination that you're going to get on that podium, you're going to win that medal, because it's yours for the taking.

The Guardian - Sport

Among future priests at Russia's (brimful) seminaries, there is a mischievous nickname for women who seek their company—Hochu-Bit-Matuchki, or "I want to be a priest's wife..."....

The Economist

If they are a clue to his future leadership, then the hugely ambitious plans of the developed world can probably be consigned to the dustbin brimful with previous ideas to "Save Africa".Related items Development: Recasting the case for aidJan 20th 2005 Congo: An almost hopeless caseJan 20th 2005Abroad, Mr Mbeki is willing to use his weight to knock heads together in the name of peace.

The Economist

The Middle East pot is more than ever brimful with sticky problems, ranging from Iran's nuclear ambitions, to the ongoing agony of Iraq, to the humanitarian disaster of Darfur, to the shaky peace in Lebanon, to turbulence in internal Israeli politics and, never-endingly, to the misery of Palestine.

The Economist

The think-tanks are brimful of new ideas.

The Economist

Immaculately turned out, hair judiciously swept back, brimful of poise and confidence, the High School girls have the air of thoroughbred racehorses, and wear the kind of complexions that can't be cultivated on a family income of less than £50,000 a year.

Independent

When the DJ remixed Cornershop's "Brimful of Asha", the track went to No 1 in the UK charts.

Independent

Brimful of skittering, light-headed charm, with sleek but subtle strings buoying the riffing guitars, it sets just the right mood of elevated optimism, one continued elsewhere in lines such as "the sun will rise, even if you don't happen to be there".

Independent

At the millennial height of his pop-star fame – a sequel to his indie mid-1980s fase as a member of the Housemartins – Fatboy Slim's business was creating crunchingly effective dance-floor anthems: "Praise You", "Right Here Right Now", "The Rockafeller Skank", "Weapon of Choice", his chart-topping remix of Cornershop's "Brimful of Asha".

Independent

Yet this brimful novel had its origins in a forensic curiosity about why "the children of children's writers always came to bad ends".

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "brimful" to add a touch of vividness and emphasis when describing something that is not just full, but abundantly so. For example, "The concert hall was brimful of anticipation."

Common error

While "brimful" adds color, it can sound less formal than alternatives like "full to capacity" or "replete with". Consider your audience and the tone you want to convey.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "brimful" is as an adjective. It modifies nouns to describe them as being filled to the maximum or overflowing, as seen in Ludwig's examples like "bedrooms brimful of interest" and "the food bank box was brimful with sensibly chosen groceries."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "brimful" is an adjective that describes something filled to the maximum, often implying an overflowing quality. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and notes its frequent usage across various contexts, particularly in news and media. While generally neutral in tone, it leans towards informal. To enhance your writing, use "brimful" when you want to emphasize abundance and avoid overuse in highly formal settings. Alternatives like "full to the brim" or "overflowing" can be used depending on the desired nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

full to the brim

Emphasizes complete fullness, suggesting a container is filled to its maximum capacity.

overflowing

Indicates exceeding capacity, with contents spilling over.

filled to capacity

Highlights that something is completely filled, reaching its limit.

packed

Suggests a tight and dense filling, often with physical pressure.

teeming with

Implies being full of living things or activity.

replete with

Suggests abundance and satisfaction, often in a formal context.

awash in

Indicates being covered or flooded with something, often figuratively.

saturated with

Emphasizes thorough impregnation or permeation.

laden with

Suggests a heavy burden or filling, often with desirable things.

bursting with

Conveys an intense fullness, almost to the point of explosion.

FAQs

How can I use "brimful" in a sentence?

You can use "brimful" to describe something that is filled to the maximum, or overflowing, with something. For example, "The artist's mind was brimful of ideas."

What can I say instead of "brimful"?

You can use alternatives like "full to the brim", "overflowing", or "filled to capacity" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "brimful of"?

Yes, it is correct to say "brimful of". The preposition "of" is typically used after "brimful" to indicate what something is full of. For example, "The room was brimful of sunshine."

What is the difference between "brimful" and "full"?

"Full" simply means that something is not empty. "Brimful" implies a state of being filled to the very top, almost overflowing. Therefore, "brimful" carries a stronger sense of abundance or completeness than "full".