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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of brighten
But, as the reality sunk in, my outlook brightened.
—
Marni Jameson, Arkansas Online, 1 Aug. 2025
Beyond simply brightening someone else’s day, a smile can also uplift your mindset and approach in business environments, Cuban said.
—Geoff Colvin, Fortune, 31 July 2025
Luckily, the best teeth whitening strips can help lift discoloration and brighten your smile, with some claiming results in as little as 10 minutes.
—Iman Balagam, Vogue, 26 July 2025
Summer wildflowers brightened the canyon floor, their blooms vivid against the dense greenery and many swarmed by a wobbly squadron of butterflies.
—Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brighten
Marni Jameson, Arkansas Online, 1 Aug. 2025
Beyond simply brightening someone else’s day, a smile can also uplift your mindset and approach in business environments, Cuban said.
—Geoff Colvin, Fortune, 31 July 2025
Luckily, the best teeth whitening strips can help lift discoloration and brighten your smile, with some claiming results in as little as 10 minutes.
—Iman Balagam, Vogue, 26 July 2025
Summer wildflowers brightened the canyon floor, their blooms vivid against the dense greenery and many swarmed by a wobbly squadron of butterflies.
—Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brighten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brighten
Verb
-
Connor's father, Jim, took to X to lighten the moment that shocked many fans.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Aug. 2025
-
The Silverado’s tires were inflated to their highest acceptable pressure for lower rolling resistance except for the spare, which was removed to lighten the load.—
Jackie Charniga,
Freep.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Flaky croissants warm in glowing bakeries, accordion notes drift through the air, and lovers linger by the Seine.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Photographer Josh Dury captured a breathtaking view of Perseid meteors raining down alongside the glowing band of the Milky Way towards the Durdle Door rock formation on the coast of Dorset in the UK.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Slurp, the zombie Pugsley revived earlier in the season, also manages to break free and storms into the office where Dr. Fairburn and Augustus are hiding.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
If an extension is not passed in the coming weeks, the programs in California and other states can still be revived later if something eventually clears all the legislative and executive hurdles in Washington.—
Rob Nikolewski,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brighten. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share