as in to lighten
to become glad or hopeful
the glum soccer player started to brighten upon being told that his injury would not jeopardize his career
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Recent Examples of brighten
To brighten it up while retaining some of the original wood detailing (including the knotty pine beams), the designer replaced half of it with tile and paint—Farrow & Ball Slipper Satin (No. 2004) on the walls, ceiling, and trim and Mole's Breath (No. 276) on the island.
—
Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 17 May 2025
His smile has brightened the locker room, his bat has energized a once-impotent segment of the lineup and his speed has transformed their offense.
—Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2025
Choose White Paint White is a go-to when choosing a paint color that reflects light, brightens a space, and makes a room look bigger.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 May 2025
The service harnesses the prebiotic power of sugar beets; the vegetable contains vitamin C and antioxidants that aid in brightening the skin.
—Tiffany Leigh, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for brighten
Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 17 May 2025
His smile has brightened the locker room, his bat has energized a once-impotent segment of the lineup and his speed has transformed their offense.
—Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2025
Choose White Paint White is a go-to when choosing a paint color that reflects light, brightens a space, and makes a room look bigger.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 May 2025
The service harnesses the prebiotic power of sugar beets; the vegetable contains vitamin C and antioxidants that aid in brightening the skin.
—Tiffany Leigh, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for brighten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brighten
Verb
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This is a particularly effective way for the strengths of high-accountability individuals to shine while also allowing the team to move faster by lightening your load as their leader.—
Olivia Dufour,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
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One way to help lighten the load is to make mealtime, snack time, and grazing time a family friendly affair.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
27 May 2025
Verb
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When reached by Vulture to comment on the apparent reference to her case, Carroll had only glowing words about her attorney.—
Victoria Bekiempis,
Vulture,
2 June 2025
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Saturn will glow in the sky to the right, and the sparkly Pleiades star cluster will be visible just to the pair’s left.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Travel + Leisure,
2 June 2025
Verb
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Syria’s oil and gas, raw materials, and manufacturing sectors could be revived, generating revenue for the government and providing livelihoods for many of the country’s citizens.—
Natasha Hall,
Foreign Affairs,
27 May 2025
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Ultimately, 1970 was the most exuberant model year for the breed of automobiles whose power and tire-smoking, straight-line performance would not be revived by American manufacturers for more than four decades.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
27 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brighten. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.
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