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
Pile it onto avocado toast or serve it alongside fatty fish or lean meats to brighten them up.
—
Riley Wofford, Martha Stewart, 23 Feb. 2026
Read on for travel-ready additions to brighten up your carry-on closet, with several styles discounted up to 50 percent off on Amazon.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2026
The formula has hyaluronic acid and aloe leaf extract for plumping hydration; marshmallow-root and green tea extracts for antioxidant protection; chamomile and cucumber flower extracts to soothe irritation; and niacinamide to brighten.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 23 Feb. 2026
Moonbeams brightened packed dirt.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brighten
Riley Wofford, Martha Stewart, 23 Feb. 2026
Read on for travel-ready additions to brighten up your carry-on closet, with several styles discounted up to 50 percent off on Amazon.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2026
The formula has hyaluronic acid and aloe leaf extract for plumping hydration; marshmallow-root and green tea extracts for antioxidant protection; chamomile and cucumber flower extracts to soothe irritation; and niacinamide to brighten.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 23 Feb. 2026
Moonbeams brightened packed dirt.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brighten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brighten
Verb
-
Here's how to lighten your hair without it.—
Caroline C. Boyle,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Music plays a central role throughout the Amphibian Stage production, acting as a transition between scenes and lightening the drama.—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Outdoors, a long communal dining table sits in the courtyard beneath glowing string lights, right next to the koi pond.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The same pressure that consumed Glenn and teammate Ilia Malinin could not even touch Liu’s glowing aura.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Read on for reasons why your aloe vera plant could be dying and how to revive it.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
22 Feb. 2026
-
In recognition of this, the Florida Legislature revived a proposal that would let certain trainees and interns voluntarily earn below Florida’s constitutional minimum wage, with HB 221 clearing its second House Committee.—
Paul Lopez,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brighten. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
