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
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
The rich buttermilk ranch dressing is brightened by fresh lemon juice and zest, which balances the tang of buttermilk and sour cream with the savory herb notes of chives and basil.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 22 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
This is accompanied by a brightening of the comet, but 3I/ATLAS brightened even more than expected.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Imagine my surprise when MMskincare’s tinted Glow Guard Correct Eye Creamimmediately brightened my under eyes with more efficacy than a color corrector.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 14 Apr. 2026
Even the interest rate outlook brightened this week, with fed funds futures suddenly pricing in at least one cut by the end of the year.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
Elsewhere, the formal dining room is framed by ample wall space for art, while adjoining sitting and lounge areas, brightened by large oval windows and skylights, create inviting spots for reading, writing, or taking calls.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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
The rich buttermilk ranch dressing is brightened by fresh lemon juice and zest, which balances the tang of buttermilk and sour cream with the savory herb notes of chives and basil.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 22 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
This is accompanied by a brightening of the comet, but 3I/ATLAS brightened even more than expected.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Imagine my surprise when MMskincare’s tinted Glow Guard Correct Eye Creamimmediately brightened my under eyes with more efficacy than a color corrector.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 14 Apr. 2026
Even the interest rate outlook brightened this week, with fed funds futures suddenly pricing in at least one cut by the end of the year.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
Elsewhere, the formal dining room is framed by ample wall space for art, while adjoining sitting and lounge areas, brightened by large oval windows and skylights, create inviting spots for reading, writing, or taking calls.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 7 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brightened
Adjective
-
The researchers argue that the daily dataset has diagnostic potential, serving as an early warning system for economic cycles, a humanitarian planning tool, and a means of tracking ecological consequences as illuminated nights continue to change at an accelerating pace.—
Bree Shirvell,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
-
This illuminated design feature is reminiscent of the bar on some older Google devices like the Pixel C tablet and Chromebook Pixel.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Soon after, his workload lightened, but traveling took a toll on him.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
-
But he was known also for an ever-ready smile, an unflappable temperament and unassuming demeanor, an ego-less willingness to pitch in to help other reporters on stories large and small, and a quirky sense of humor that lightened the stress of many a deadline.—
Andres Viglucci,
Miami Herald,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
The Grammy-winning R&B singer, 39, glowed in an all-white ERL suit, which combined a puffy, floor-length jacket with a retro-style shirt and enlarged bow tie.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
-
Feldstein glowed in a pink lacy dress, smiling as her wife Roberts placed a hand on her stomach.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
New network head Grant Tinker decided to pause the implementation of the new logo, as NBC was mired in third place and needed first to be revived.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
12 May 2026
-
Soon after, Gomez noted, Carr revived a complaint against ABC over the way that its broadcast of the 2024 presidential debate was moderated.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
But with fat’s waning popularity, Americans were eager to ditch those thick hunks of red meat for lighter poultry.—
Rebecca Firkser,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 May 2026
-
That estimate is based on how bright the object appears and how much light scientists think its surface reflects.—
Matthew Glasser,
ABC News,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
The food is rustic and cosmopolitan at once — bright, monumental salads, whole carrots and leeks baptized by fire, skeins of pasta, and Parmigiano snowing down — but the secret is the seeming effortlessness.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
Eventually, Delta switched the shuttle to one of the main terminals, and in 2021 Spirit moved into the Marine Air Terminal, bringing its bright-yellow livery and ultra-discount business model with it.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brightened. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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