as in restoring
to bring back to a former condition or vigor
cool glasses of lemonade freshened us after a day of hard work outside
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Recent Examples of freshening
The company says the new fiber-detergent tiles feature a half-dozen layers of concentrated cleaning ingredients that activate in cold water to battle stains and odors while also freshening and brightening fabrics—all in one product.
—
Joseph Erbentraut, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Feb. 2026
Health aside, an air purifier can also make your space smell better by eliminating cooking smells and freshening the air, all while subtly boosting your design scheme, like the sleek and powerful Coway Airmega that’s our top overall pick.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 27 Jan. 2026
And because upholstered furniture is tricky to toss in the wash, a low-effort, budget-friendly solution like baking soda can be a game-changer for freshening things up between deep cleans.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 18 Jan. 2026
After freshening it up for its journey across the world, the video cuts to a phone call with Blue's lawyer, who reveals the good news that her ban from the country has been lifted.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
Created by Hank Green and Bernie Su and starring Ashley Clements as Lizzie Bennet, this series adaptation stays true to the original while freshening the storylines and reimagining some of the relationships.
—Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 29 Nov. 2025
After all, gum is the ultimate multitasker – freshening breath, calming nerves and even sharpening focus.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
Joseph Erbentraut, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Feb. 2026
Health aside, an air purifier can also make your space smell better by eliminating cooking smells and freshening the air, all while subtly boosting your design scheme, like the sleek and powerful Coway Airmega that’s our top overall pick.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 27 Jan. 2026
And because upholstered furniture is tricky to toss in the wash, a low-effort, budget-friendly solution like baking soda can be a game-changer for freshening things up between deep cleans.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 18 Jan. 2026
After freshening it up for its journey across the world, the video cuts to a phone call with Blue's lawyer, who reveals the good news that her ban from the country has been lifted.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
Created by Hank Green and Bernie Su and starring Ashley Clements as Lizzie Bennet, this series adaptation stays true to the original while freshening the storylines and reimagining some of the relationships.
—Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 29 Nov. 2025
After all, gum is the ultimate multitasker – freshening breath, calming nerves and even sharpening focus.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for freshening
Verb
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Sean O’Byrne of the Downtown Council wrote in a letter that the project will grow the neighborhood and tax base while driving more development along Main Street and restoring an architectural treasure.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
26 Mar. 2026
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But Lanier pressed him on an April 2020 email from Meta’s vice president of product design, Margaret Gould Stewart, who wrote directly to oppose restoring many of the filters.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And aren’t politicians always talking about reviving the SRO anyway?—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
26 Mar. 2026
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Brad’s son has been with him during his entire journey of reviving the Illinois program, first as a player and now as an assistant coach in charge of the Illini’s powerful offense.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Garza said the utility’s conversations about refreshing the plan are a necessity.—
Kelsey Brown,
San Antonio Express-News,
9 Mar. 2026
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The 2026 Studio Display, meanwhile, is an incremental upgrade to its 2022 predecessor, refreshing the ports and webcam features but not much else.—
Tony Hoffman,
PC Magazine,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Reske appears uninterested in fetishizing or recreating his past, and that’s probably for the best.—
David Glickman,
Pitchfork,
27 Mar. 2026
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His reputation for meticulous period work will be central to recreating the world Wong Howe inhabited across more than five decades in Hollywood, from the silent era through the Golden Age of cinema.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Kansas City Chiefs’ planned $3 billion stadium in Wyandotte County cleared a major hurdle on Friday, when the Kansas Legislature passed a bill creating a sports authority and renewing the underlying incentive program that will finance the megaproject.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
28 Mar. 2026
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Earlier this month, Iran attempted to strike a US-UK base more than 2,000 miles (about 3,200 kilometers) off its coast, renewing questions about Tehran’s military capabilities and how far its missiles can reach.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Hartford HealthCare is renovating 10 structures — some of them historic — for new uses.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
25 Mar. 2026
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There has been talk of renovating the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion for three decades and that’s all it’s been.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Freshening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/freshening. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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