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
Ayesha Gulzar, Verywell Health, 20 Jan. 2026
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
Leighton Meester brightened things up in a custom strapless Miu Miu column gown fully hand-embroidered with lavender paillettes and crystals.
—Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 11 Jan. 2026
Similar to cherry mocha, Kaeding says a wine brunette will have that dark base that is slightly brightened by a deeper red or copper tint.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 31 Dec. 2025
The policy brightened hopes among borrowers eager for lower payments.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 12 Dec. 2025
Jeff Pointer leaned against the green Mosier Valley Park sign as the afternoon sun brightened the park on the northeast side of Fort Worth.
—Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Dec. 2025
Miami sharpened his approach to Japanese-Peruvian cooking—ceviche brightened with local citrus, leche de tigre layered with heat.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 7 Dec. 2025
Whenever the quasar brightened or dimmed, those changes showed up in the multiple images but with tiny delays.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 7 Dec. 2025
Verb
An early morning may be brightened with a cup of chai, which is rich in caffeine and has bold, spiced flavors.
—Ayesha Gulzar, Verywell Health, 20 Jan. 2026
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
Leighton Meester brightened things up in a custom strapless Miu Miu column gown fully hand-embroidered with lavender paillettes and crystals.
—Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 11 Jan. 2026
Similar to cherry mocha, Kaeding says a wine brunette will have that dark base that is slightly brightened by a deeper red or copper tint.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 31 Dec. 2025
The policy brightened hopes among borrowers eager for lower payments.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 12 Dec. 2025
Jeff Pointer leaned against the green Mosier Valley Park sign as the afternoon sun brightened the park on the northeast side of Fort Worth.
—Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Dec. 2025
Miami sharpened his approach to Japanese-Peruvian cooking—ceviche brightened with local citrus, leche de tigre layered with heat.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 7 Dec. 2025
Whenever the quasar brightened or dimmed, those changes showed up in the multiple images but with tiny delays.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 7 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brightened
Adjective
-
The Canon image sensor is a back-illuminated 45-megapixel full-frame flavor, the same category as pro cameras like the Canon EOS R5 II.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
26 Jan. 2026
-
That means a silver sliver of the moon will be visible, with most of its illuminated half facing away from Earth, NASA explains.—
Eric Lagatta,
AZCentral.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
McGregor says, having swapped the black finish for an earthy green that lightened the visual weight of the piece.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Thankfully, after expending serious overtime up front, the design crew lightened its hand over the rest of the truck, which remains a stout, sturdy pickup without the over-accentuation that characterizes the new US-market Tundra and Tacoma.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
DeVanté’s mythical aura glowed so brightly that even future stars struggled to get noticed.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
20 Jan. 2026
-
After recent rains, the trail was damp but not muddy, and the surrounding grasses glowed a vibrant green.—
Maura Fox,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
It was closed by the county for the demolition, but now, if the bridge remains, residents hope that, with a little work, it can be revived.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The petition was dismissed by a judge, but it could be revived based on the results of the SBI investigation.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Closely following Ford's spinoff of the Transit Custom line as a lighter, more passenger car-like FWD van alternative sized to compete with midsize vans like the Volkswagen Transporter and Citroën Berlingo, the Nugget slid over to the smaller, more efficient van platform.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
29 Jan. 2026
-
These hues are complemented by light gray furniture and pops of green via various houseplants.—
Lennie Omalza,
Louisville Courier Journal,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Even hospital appointments were overwhelming, with bright lights leaving her drained and overstimulated.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The bright blue facade is a beacon of hope at a time when many residents and business owners are still caught in the difficult process of rebuilding after the fires.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brightened. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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