as in lightens
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brightens
But seeing the children in the shelter − along with the Red Cross staff − brightens her spirit.
—
Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Stephanie said this brightens the day for herself and Patrick, but also for others who see the animal friends hanging out together.
—Rick Mauch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2025
The colorful evergreen foliage provides a warm winter welcome in porch planters and brightens patios all year long.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 26 Aug. 2025
In the library/innovation center at the center of the school, the ceilings were raised and the beams refinished, which Delehanty said really opens up and brightens the space.
—Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Aug. 2025
Best seen about an hour before sunrise, bright planets Venus and Jupiter will continue to dominate in the east while Saturn brightens in the south.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Back-to-school season is nigh, but nothing brightens the end of the summer like a major discount from one of our favorite brands, especially when said brand only occasionally holds sales.
—Esther Newman, Refinery29, 12 Aug. 2025
Imagine instead of bouncing a basketball, there’s a star in space that suddenly and rapidly brightens, like when a massive star explodes at the end of its life to create a supernova.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2025
Whether in the months when the sun bathes our skin or now, in the middle of the Christmas season, this shoe design brightens up any outfit—and the actor's latest effortless look is the best example to prove it.
—María Munsuri, Glamour, 24 Dec. 2024
Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Stephanie said this brightens the day for herself and Patrick, but also for others who see the animal friends hanging out together.
—Rick Mauch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2025
The colorful evergreen foliage provides a warm winter welcome in porch planters and brightens patios all year long.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 26 Aug. 2025
In the library/innovation center at the center of the school, the ceilings were raised and the beams refinished, which Delehanty said really opens up and brightens the space.
—Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Aug. 2025
Best seen about an hour before sunrise, bright planets Venus and Jupiter will continue to dominate in the east while Saturn brightens in the south.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Back-to-school season is nigh, but nothing brightens the end of the summer like a major discount from one of our favorite brands, especially when said brand only occasionally holds sales.
—Esther Newman, Refinery29, 12 Aug. 2025
Imagine instead of bouncing a basketball, there’s a star in space that suddenly and rapidly brightens, like when a massive star explodes at the end of its life to create a supernova.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2025
Whether in the months when the sun bathes our skin or now, in the middle of the Christmas season, this shoe design brightens up any outfit—and the actor's latest effortless look is the best example to prove it.
—María Munsuri, Glamour, 24 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brightens
Verb
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The propeller steering mechanism also simplifies and lightens the mounting hardware, adding to total weight savings, and allows multiple outboards to be mounted closer together.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
29 Aug. 2025
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Dark green foliage lightens toward the branch tips.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
24 Aug. 2025
Verb
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At the absolute highest energies, the Moon glows with a light all its own, powered by nuclear recoils, and irrespective of any light, or anything at all, emitted by the Sun.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
4 Sep. 2025
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Its Hungarian Parliament glows at twilight—mirrored in the river’s slow current—while layered history lingers in its bullet-scarred walls.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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For the occasion, de Caunes revives one of his popular characters, a diehard redneck rock ’n’ roll fan whose taste for tall tales is matched only by his genuine devotion to music.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
2 Sep. 2025
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By injecting concentrated algae into soil through local irrigation systems, the company revives barren land into fertile ground.—
Afdhel Aziz,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brightens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brightens. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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