brighten

verb

bright·​en ˈbrī-tᵊn 

brightened; brightening ˈbrīt-niŋ 

ˈbrī-tᵊn-iŋ

intransitive verb

: to become bright or brighter

transitive verb

1

: to make bright or brighter

you brightened my day

2

: to enhance or intensify the flavor of (food) especially by adding an acidic element (such as citrus juice or vinegar)

Crisp lemon slices brighten smoky bacon and rosemary-infused trout.

—Melissa Roberts-Matar

brightener

ˈbrīt-nər 

ˈbrī-tᵊn-ər

noun

Synonyms

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

Examples of brighten in a Sentence

He brightened the picture on the television.

Flowers can brighten any room.

The good news brightened her mood.

The sky brightened after the storm.

Business prospects brightened last month.

Her face brightened in relief when she heard that he was not hurt.

Recent Examples on the Web

Garlands of Scottish flags and columns of balloons brightened the room. —Nathan Tavares, Travel + Leisure, 2 June 2025

Leah Millis | Reuters Global equities initially brightened on the news, though economists and U.S. officials alike argue that Trump is likely to find a work-around to the block. —Chloe Taylor,jenni Reid, CNBC, 29 May 2025

You just might be brightened and tightened for days. —Debbi Kickham, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025

The deep red-plum tint subtly brightens the whites of your eyes and flatters all eye colors, especially greens and hazels. —Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 29 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for brighten

• chitin
• frighten
• heighten
• lighten
• phaeton
• tighten
• titan
• triton
• whiten
• enlighten
• exciton
• periphyton

Kids Definition

brighten

verb

bright·​en ˈbrīt-ᵊn 

brightened; brightening ˈbrīt-niŋ 

-ᵊn-iŋ

: to make or become bright or brighter