lighten

1 of 2

verb (1)

light·​en ˈlī-tᵊn 

lightened; lightening ˈlīt-niŋ 

ˈlī-tᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

1

: to make light or clear : illuminate

2

archaic : enlighten

3

: to make (something, such as a color) lighter

intransitive verb

1

a

archaic : to shine brightly

b

: to grow lighter : brighten

2

: to give out flashes of lightning

lighten

2 of 2

verb (2)

lightened; lightening ˈlīt-niŋ 

ˈlī-tᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

1

a

: to relieve of a burden in whole or in part

the news lightened his mind

b

: to reduce in weight or quantity : lessen

c

: to make less wearisome : alleviate

lighten our sorrow

2

: cheer, gladden

intransitive verb

1

: to become lighter or less burdensome

2

: to become more cheerful

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• bathe
• beacon
• emblaze
• illume
• illuminate
• illumine
• irradiate
• light

Verb (2)

• brighten
• buck up
• cheer (up)
• look up
• perk (up)

Choose the Right Synonym for lighten

relieve, alleviate, lighten, assuage, mitigate, allay mean to make something less grievous.

relieve implies a lifting of enough of a burden to make it tolerable.

took an aspirin to relieve the pain

alleviate implies temporary or partial lessening of pain or distress.

the lotion alleviated the itching

lighten implies reducing a burdensome or depressing weight.

good news would lighten our worries

assuage implies softening or sweetening what is harsh or disagreeable.

ocean breezes assuaged the intense heat

mitigate suggests a moderating or countering of the effect of something violent or painful.

the need to mitigate barbaric laws

allay implies an effective calming or soothing of fears or alarms.

allayed their fears

Examples of lighten in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

There was something in this world that could rouse me, something that lightened the darkness. —Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 19 Apr. 2024

When every ounce counts, the Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 is an excellent choice for lightening your load on the trail. —Kevin Brouillard, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2024

Trying to lighten the load Consider what Jean Hartnett, 53, of Omaha, Nebraska, and her eight siblings went through after their 88-year-old mother had a stroke in February 2021. —Judith Graham, USA TODAY, 7 Apr. 2024

Generally, pros advise against exceeding more than four levels of lightening in one salon visit. —Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 2 Apr. 2024

Garcia herself tends to lighten her brows, reversing the usual tinting process for the same ultimate purpose: to manage brow color and shape to best suit your face. —Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2024

This will also lighten your workload before the meal. —Lynda Balslev, The Mercury News, 25 Mar. 2024

The songs have an unrelenting goofiness that clearly lightens the mood in the ballroom. —Fran Hoepfner, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2024

Or lighten things up by stirring a few handfuls of quick-cooking greens directly into the pot, which also eliminates any need for a salad on the side. —Melissa Clark, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English lightenen, from light

First Known Use

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing lighten

• lighten up

Kids Definition

lighten

1 of 2 verb

light·​en ˈlīt-ᵊn 

lightened; lightening ˈlīt-niŋ 

-ᵊn-iŋ

1

: to make or become light, lighter, or clear : brighten

2

: to give out flashes of lightning

lightener

ˈlīt-nər 

-ᵊn-ər

noun

lighten

2 of 2 verb

lightened; lightening ˈlīt-niŋ 

-ᵊn-iŋ

: to make or become less heavy or less difficult

lighten a load

lightened her duties

lightener

ˈlīt-nər 

-ᵊn-ər

noun