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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brighten
Snag them in white to brighten up your wardrobe, or any of the springy hues like crimson and emerald green to really stand out.
—
Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2026
The French makeup pick blurs and brightens skin to achieve a filter-like look.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 11 Apr. 2026
Pisces February 19 – March 20 Friendships brighten as words land softly.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 10 Apr. 2026
The key window is April 10-20, when the comet is brightening but not yet too deeply embedded in the sun's glare.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brighten
Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2026
The French makeup pick blurs and brightens skin to achieve a filter-like look.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 11 Apr. 2026
Pisces February 19 – March 20 Friendships brighten as words land softly.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 10 Apr. 2026
The key window is April 10-20, when the comet is brightening but not yet too deeply embedded in the sun's glare.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brighten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brighten
Verb
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Picking off some of the easier seasonal cleaning jobs now will lighten the load of your deep spring clean.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Apr. 2026
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As the inspirational Moon glides into your 7th House of Allies, your expressive nature invites connection, and your generous spirit lightens tough conversations.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The 94-year-old I Dream of Jeannie star shared a picture with husband Jon Eicholtz for Easter, and fans were amazed at how glowing the actress looked.—
Marina Watts,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Apr. 2026
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Look to the upper left of Venus to find Jupiter, the second brightest object in the night sky, glowing in the constellation Gemini, with Sirius — the brightest star in the night sky — shining off to the left, close to the southwestern horizon.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Obama Administration revived the concept in 2014 by opening family-detention camps, including Dilley, to deal with an influx of asylum seekers from Central America.—
Sarah Stillman,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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Shoppers who grew up on disposable fast fashion are enlisting tailors and seamstresses to give off-the-rack purchases a custom fit or personal flair, to revive secondhand finds or to extend the lives of their wardrobes, according to fashion industry experts.—
Anne D'Innocenzio,
Boston Herald,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brighten. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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