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 of brighten

• lighten
• glow
• revive

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

Jordan sewed sage green curtains to conceal additional storage spaces and further brighten the space. — Lina Abascal, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026

With its Manuka honey heart, the scent is brightened by orange blossom and mandarin before settling into tonka, vanilla, and sandalwood. — Lauren Valenti, InStyle, 9 Sep. 2026

Hamilton’s city streets are brightened by more than 100 large-scale murals, a variety of different galleries, and a monthly art walk. — Maryam Siddiqi, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2026

Its formula is packed with calming oat extract, panthenol, and tigergrass, while soybean and rice work to brighten your complexion. — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2026

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