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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Recent Examples of brighten
The flood of geopolitical headlines to start 2026 has brightened the outlook for gold and silver, even after last year’s massive run-up for all precious metals.
—
Sarah Min, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2026
Pisces February 19 – March 20 Friends spark ideas that brighten your mood.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 14 Jan. 2026
Add classic neutrals to your rotation like navy, dark gray, and black — or grab colors like light coffee or pink to brighten up your wardrobe for spring.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
But Greek yogurt, crisp radishes, lemon juice, and a handful of fresh herbs brighten up the classic.
—Ginger Crichton, Midwest Living, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brighten
Sarah Min, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2026
Pisces February 19 – March 20 Friends spark ideas that brighten your mood.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 14 Jan. 2026
Add classic neutrals to your rotation like navy, dark gray, and black — or grab colors like light coffee or pink to brighten up your wardrobe for spring.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
But Greek yogurt, crisp radishes, lemon juice, and a handful of fresh herbs brighten up the classic.
—Ginger Crichton, Midwest Living, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brighten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brighten
Verb
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The effort aims to reduce wait times and lighten employee workloads amid industry-wide staffing shortages.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
13 Jan. 2026
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Jacobs gained no yards on two first-down runs during the possession (both were RPOs from shotgun formations, which limit options in the run game but can lighten the box to enable better rushing).—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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At peak activity, the shower can produce 10 to 20 meteors per hour—with many leaving long, glowing trails and occasionally dazzling fireballs.—
Michael d'Estries,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Jan. 2026
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Kim shared a glowing photo of her smiley second daughter admiring her braids in the mirror.—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Barnes & Noble will open four new bookstores in the Chicago area by summertime, including a flagship location downtown on State Street, part of a national move to revive its brick-and-mortar retail presence.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
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An effort to set that up stalled in the California legislature last year, but there's a growing pressure to revive something like it.—
Kirk Siegler,
NPR,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brighten. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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