brightened 1 of 2

brightened

2 of 2

verb

past tense of brighten
as in lightened
to become glad or hopeful the glum soccer player started to brighten upon being told that his injury would not jeopardize his career

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of brightened
Verb
Valadao’s hopes of survival were brightened when progressive Randy Villegas defeated moderate Democrat Jasmeet Bains. Dan Walters, Mercury News, 25 June 2026 This recipe is endlessly customizable and brightened with orange juice and mint. Patricia S York, Southern Living, 23 June 2026 Like during her Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince eras in 2007 to 2009, the Little Women star brightened up her long natural brunette locks with subtle golden highlights for summer. Lara Walsh, InStyle, 22 June 2026 Rangel recalls people approaching him to say that seeing Osito had brightened an otherwise stressful day. Fernanda Pesce, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2026 Rangel recalls people approaching him to say that seeing Osito had brightened an otherwise stressful day. ABC News, 19 June 2026 The addition of vitamin C has noticeably brightened and evened out my skin tone. Jenny Berg, Vogue, 27 May 2026 Queen Camilla brightened her wardrobe in a springtime Fiona Clare blue dress for a garden party at Hillsborough Castle on Wednesday in Hillsborough, Northern Ireland. Julia Teti, Footwear News, 20 May 2026 Some regions have dramatically brightened due to urbanization and electrification, while others have dimmed because of energy-efficient lighting, economic decline, the effects of war or policy changes. Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 20 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brightened
Adjective
  • When the sun goes down, stake out a spot at any Magic Kingdom-area resort beach for the Electrical Water Pageant, a procession of illuminated sea creatures that floats across the lagoon every night.
    Jacqueline Dole, Southern Living, 23 June 2026
  • Seconds, that the union and the contractor’s association be allowed to place a smaller illuminated sign near the base of the Western Auto sign noting that the organizations had done the work.
    Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 17 June 2026
Verb
  • The sweetness of vanilla is contrasted with sharp musk and sandalwood and lightened with fresh jasmine.
    Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 23 June 2026
  • Congress has since lightened some of the harsh mandatory penalties that applied to Bailey and others convicted back in the 1990s.
    Carrie Johnson, NPR, 23 June 2026
Adjective
  • While linen and silk are light and airy, some occasions call for a sturdier yet equally breathable option.
    Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026
  • If your energy dips, take a brief stretch, then return to the task with a lighter touch and clearer purpose.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • After exposing the bones to a high-energy blue light, the team used an optical filter to see which of them glowed red.
    Sahas Mehra, Scientific American, 19 June 2026
  • The sandstone bowl of a stadium built in 1924 glowed gold.
    Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 13 June 2026
Adjective
  • But plenty of these bright red and crisp white shirts belong to Panama fans.
    NBC News, NBC news, 28 June 2026
  • The prospects for Chip’s Seeds continue to be bright, too.
    Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • The case remained unsolved until investigators revived it around 2017.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2026
  • Another selloff for SpaceX could lower its shares below the debut trading price of $150, and Swissquote analyst Ipek Ozkardeskaya told Reuters the company’s decision to open bond trading may have revived concerns that tech companies may be spending too much on AI infrastructure.
    Ty Roush, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Brightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brightened. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on brightened

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster