Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

1

lighten

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of lighten

to become glad or hopeful
  • The patient lightened when he heard the disease responds well to treatment.
Synonyms of lighten

brighten, buck up, cheer (up), look up, perk (up)
Words Related to lighten

rejoice

liven (up), revive

beam, glow, radiate, sparkle

encourage, gladden, hearten
Near Antonyms of lighten

despair, despond

brood, fret, mope
Antonyms of lighten

darken, sadden

Synonym Discussion of lighten

relieve, alleviate, lighten, assuage, mitigate, allay mean to make something less grievous. relieve implies a lifting of enough of a burden to make it tolerable.
    • took an aspirin to relieve the pain
alleviate implies temporary or partial lessening of pain or distress.
    • the lotion alleviated the itching
lighten implies reducing a burdensome or depressing weight.
    • good news would lighten our worries
assuage implies softening or sweetening what is harsh or disagreeable.
    • ocean breezes assuaged the intense heat
mitigate suggests a moderating or countering of the effect of something violent or painful.
    • the need to mitigate barbaric laws
allay implies an effective calming or soothing of fears or alarms.
    • allayed their fears
2

lighten

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of lighten

to supply with light
  • The room was gradually lightened by the rising sun.
Synonyms of lighten

bathe, beacon, emblaze, illume, illuminate, illumine, irradiate, light
Words Related to lighten

brighten

beam, beat (down), radiate, shine

enhalo, halo

floodlight

highlight, spotlight

blaze, burn, fire, flame, glare, glow, ignite, incinerate, kindle

bedazzle, blind, daze, dazzle

gleam, glisten, glitter
Near Antonyms of lighten

dim, dull, obscure

cover, shroud, veil

douse (also dowse), extinguish, put out, quench, snuff (out)
Antonyms of lighten

blacken, darken, obfuscate

Synonym Discussion of lighten

relieve, alleviate, lighten, assuage, mitigate, allay mean to make something less grievous. relieve implies a lifting of enough of a burden to make it tolerable.
    • took an aspirin to relieve the pain
alleviate implies temporary or partial lessening of pain or distress.
    • the lotion alleviated the itching
lighten implies reducing a burdensome or depressing weight.
    • good news would lighten our worries
assuage implies softening or sweetening what is harsh or disagreeable.
    • ocean breezes assuaged the intense heat
mitigate suggests a moderating or countering of the effect of something violent or painful.
    • the need to mitigate barbaric laws
allay implies an effective calming or soothing of fears or alarms.
    • allayed their fears

Learn More about lighten

  1. See words that rhyme with lighten Dictionary: Definition of lighten Spanish Central: Translation of lighten Nglish: Translation of lighten for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of lighten for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up lighten? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games