as in lightening
to become glad or hopeful
the glum soccer player started to brighten upon being told that his injury would not jeopardize his career
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Recent Examples of brightening
Sunlight colors the water behind her, brightening a few strands of her hair.
—
Thomas Lake, AJC.com, 4 June 2026
The off-white wash feels especially fresh for spring, offering a softer alternative to stark white, while still brightening your wardrobe.
—Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 2 June 2026
No true irascible aging genius worth his salt is without a ready supply of white socks brightening up the chest of drawers.
—Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
No garden is complete without the sunny faces of black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia) brightening the landscape.
—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 1 June 2026
Other ingredients to look for include SPF, present in Supergoop’s formula, and vitamin C, a brightening agent that’s whipped into Nerrā’s dry oil.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 27 May 2026
Grab it in brightening pink or yellow shades, or go with the transparent option for a more flexible finish.
—Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 22 May 2026
Hospital staff rearranged the lobby's furniture and assembled floral bouquets and greenery, brightening the space for the ceremony.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 21 May 2026
The afternoon was brightening, the sun preparing to come through.
—Stephen King, The Atlantic, 15 May 2026
Thomas Lake, AJC.com, 4 June 2026
The off-white wash feels especially fresh for spring, offering a softer alternative to stark white, while still brightening your wardrobe.
—Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 2 June 2026
No true irascible aging genius worth his salt is without a ready supply of white socks brightening up the chest of drawers.
—Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
No garden is complete without the sunny faces of black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia) brightening the landscape.
—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 1 June 2026
Other ingredients to look for include SPF, present in Supergoop’s formula, and vitamin C, a brightening agent that’s whipped into Nerrā’s dry oil.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 27 May 2026
Grab it in brightening pink or yellow shades, or go with the transparent option for a more flexible finish.
—Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 22 May 2026
Hospital staff rearranged the lobby's furniture and assembled floral bouquets and greenery, brightening the space for the ceremony.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 21 May 2026
The afternoon was brightening, the sun preparing to come through.
—Stephen King, The Atlantic, 15 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brightening
Verb
-
Not the irony of having a skin-lightening condition (or predilection) while singlehandedly Blackening up the portals of pop music by integrating a music video network that upheld America's racist standard of (in)visibility.—
Rodney Carmichael,
NPR,
3 June 2026
-
The overall vibe is quiet luxury—rich, polished, and well-maintained, without over-lightening the hair.—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
And for curls and coils, Carol’s Daughter has earned more than 12,000 glowing reviews—often in rotation in Vogue’s Kiana Murden’s regimen.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
8 June 2026
-
On a recent night in Havana, as another blackout darkened much of the city, taxi driver Leonardo Daniel González steered a friend’s glowing purple 1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster through the darkness.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
That treatment gap is reviving interest in experimental blood-filtering devices that can physically remove viral particles from the bloodstream.—
Elie Dolgin,
IEEE Spectrum,
4 June 2026
-
But Alonso and Chelsea also have big roles to play in reviving his form.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brightening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brightening. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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