freshen

verb

fresh·​en ˈfre-shən 

freshened; freshening ˈfre-sh(ə-)niŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to grow or become fresh: such as

a

of wind : to increase in strength

b

: to become fresh in appearance or vitality

—usually used with up

freshen up with a shower

2

of a milk animal : to begin lactating

transitive verb

: to make fresh

also : refresh, revive

freshener

ˈfre-sh(ə-)nər 

noun

Synonyms

• recharge
• recreate
• refresh
• refreshen
• regenerate
• rejuvenate
• renew
• repair
• restore
• resuscitate
• revitalize
• revive
• revivify

Examples of freshen in a Sentence

a mint that freshens the breath

Can I freshen your drink?

Recent Examples on the Web

Brooker cycles through the stock beats of the police narrative and freshens them all up using his wonderfully weird premise. —Charles Bramesco, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2025

Walmart has stepped up investments in its stores to freshen its look and counter negative perceptions that higher-income shoppers might have. —Melissa Repko, CNBC, 19 Feb. 2025

Lemon can be used for everything from freshening bed linens to removing stains from clothes–including cleaning your microwave. —Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 21 Dec. 2024

Bringing the Golden Bachelor and Bachelorette constants to the franchise’s most saucy series, Bachelor in Paradise, is certainly one way to freshen things up amid competition in the growing reality dating space from streaming hits like Love Is Blind or Love Island, to name only a couple. —Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1532, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing freshen

• freshen up

Rhymes for freshen

• cession
• hessian
• pression
• session
• accession
• aggression
• compression
• concession
• confession
• depression
• digression
• discretion

Kids Definition

freshen

verb

fresh·​en ˈfresh-ən 

freshened; freshening -(ə-)niŋ 

1

: to make or become fresh : refresh

freshen up with a shower

2

: to become brisk or strong

the wind freshened

3

: to brighten in appearance

freshen up a room with some color

freshener

-(ə-)nər 

noun

Medical Definition

freshen

transitive verb

fresh·​en ˈfresh-ən 

freshened; freshening ˈfresh-(ə-)niŋ 

of a milk animal

: to begin lactating