lighten up

verb

lightened up; lightening up; lightens up

intransitive verb

: to take things less seriously

Examples of lighten up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Another tech executive who lightened up on his own company's stock was Broadcom president Charlie Kawwas, who sold $2.5 million worth of shares on June 11. Nick Wells,jesse Pound, CNBC, 16 June 2025 Fortaleza Do Guincho Last year, the classic restaurant at the Relais & Châteaux hotel Fortaleza do Guincho in the Lisbon suburb of Cascais began a renovation that’s lightening up the dining room while keeping the focus on the dramatic Atlantic right outside. Ann Abel, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025 Leave it to Ryan Gosling to lighten up a room full of exhibitors at CinemaCon. Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2025 Read the full Capricorn Daily Horoscope Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) Need to lighten up? Usa Today, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lighten up

Word History

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lighten up was in 1911

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lighten up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lighten%20up. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on lighten up

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!