as in illuminated
filled with much light
the brightened room is now a much more cheerful place for the recuperating patients
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in lightened
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brightened
Jenny Berg, Vogue, 27 May 2026
Queen Camilla brightened her wardrobe in a springtime Fiona Clare blue dress for a garden party at Hillsborough Castle on Wednesday in Hillsborough, Northern Ireland.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 20 May 2026
Some regions have dramatically brightened due to urbanization and electrification, while others have dimmed because of energy-efficient lighting, economic decline, the effects of war or policy changes.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 20 May 2026
Fresh flowers picked from the Ward-Ziegler grounds and gardens always brightened the place.
—Nancy Vienneau, Southern Living, 17 May 2026
Instead, the data revealed a planet in flux where areas brightened explosively in one year and dimmed sharply the next; regions flickered in rhythms tied to oil booms, armed conflicts, and pandemic lockdowns.
—Bree Shirvell, Hartford Courant, 12 May 2026
According to a new study that analyzed a combination of satellite images, artificial nighttime lights have brightened Earth by 16% between 2014 and 2022.
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 6 May 2026
The filmmakers have lightened and brightened their source material to a kid-friendly degree — even the English countryside, as glisteningly shot by George Steel, has never looked less overcast.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
Ancho chile and cayenne give a layered blend of heat while brightened up by caraway, cumin, and coriander.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
The addition of vitamin C has noticeably brightened and evened out my skin tone.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 27 May 2026
Queen Camilla brightened her wardrobe in a springtime Fiona Clare blue dress for a garden party at Hillsborough Castle on Wednesday in Hillsborough, Northern Ireland.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 20 May 2026
Some regions have dramatically brightened due to urbanization and electrification, while others have dimmed because of energy-efficient lighting, economic decline, the effects of war or policy changes.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 20 May 2026
Fresh flowers picked from the Ward-Ziegler grounds and gardens always brightened the place.
—Nancy Vienneau, Southern Living, 17 May 2026
Instead, the data revealed a planet in flux where areas brightened explosively in one year and dimmed sharply the next; regions flickered in rhythms tied to oil booms, armed conflicts, and pandemic lockdowns.
—Bree Shirvell, Hartford Courant, 12 May 2026
According to a new study that analyzed a combination of satellite images, artificial nighttime lights have brightened Earth by 16% between 2014 and 2022.
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 6 May 2026
The filmmakers have lightened and brightened their source material to a kid-friendly degree — even the English countryside, as glisteningly shot by George Steel, has never looked less overcast.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
Ancho chile and cayenne give a layered blend of heat while brightened up by caraway, cumin, and coriander.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brightened
Adjective
-
Swiss menu options are also available in the lobby lounge, and a weekly DJ enlivens the mood at Onyx Bar (so-named for the illuminated surface that makes up the bar itself).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
At the rear, the three-claw LED lighting signature remains, joined by an illuminated PEUGEOT wordmark replacing the traditional lion badge.—
Matthew MacConnell,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Then struggling star Aaron Judge lightened their load with no outs in the ninth inning, lifting a long fly ball that just cleared the fence in right-center field and scoring pinch runner Max Schuemann.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
24 May 2026
-
Meats and cheeses are often thought of as dense and heavy ingredients, but this pasta salad is lightened by lemon juice, basil, and red bell peppers.—
Nellah Bailey McGough,
Southern Living,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
The lab glowed like a jewel in the distance, and around him bioluminescent plankton shone like stars.—
Susan Cosier,
Scientific American,
6 June 2026
-
May's full Blue Moon put on a dazzling display over the weekend, flooding the night sky with moonlight as the red supergiant star Antares glowed nearby.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Most recently, late neoliberalism revived a central aspect of 1970s pluralism, retooled as representative diversity—once again under the pressure of political activism, which reckoned with decades of racially exclusionary collecting, exhibiting, and hiring practices at art institutions.—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
Many have threatened to use amendments in the reconciliation bill and force votes on stand-alone legislation to prevent it from being revived later.—
Kaylah Jackson,
NBC news,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Erica Donald’s three-word rebuttal on X to speculation about her husband playing football again was also light-hearted.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
-
OpenAI in a blog post on Tuesday said it was not affiliated with the super PAC, which fights for lighter-touch AI regulation.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
In braids and a bright yellow fishing bib, with her dog Claude at her side and a witty interjection always on the tip of her tongue, Maude climbs onto her trusty little boat and sets a course for the open sea.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
-
Durable enough to handle the elements, this waterproof light features a comfortable elastic strap and a bright, adjustable beam that improves visibility while keeping both hands free for unloading luggage, handling car repairs, or setting up camp in the dark.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brightened. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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