as in brightens
to become glad or hopeful
the patient lightened when he heard the disease responds well to treatment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in illumines
to supply with light
the room was gradually lightened by the rising sun
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lightens
Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2026
Abby White lightens the emotional subject with a teen’s authentic, humorous voice.
—Penny Schwartz, Sun Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
The vibe lightens fast as Aquarius season begins on January 19th, activating your sector of expansion, travel, education, and big-picture thinking.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 18 Jan. 2026
Our version lightens things up with a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth cookie.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Dec. 2025
Using an immersion blender or mixer, beat the yolks with the sugar in a large mixing bowl until the mixture lightens in color.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 13 Dec. 2025
As the boots bend and flex with regular wear, the leather lightens at the crease points, resulting in a one-of-a-kind look that is unique to each wearer.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 12 Nov. 2025
After addressing the anxious crowd, the pilot lightens the mood once more.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
That’s why engineers at The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) have developed a soft robotic exoskeleton that doesn’t just assist motion, but lightens the load, literally.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
Sparkling water lightens it, but play around with the ratios.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2026
Abby White lightens the emotional subject with a teen’s authentic, humorous voice.
—Penny Schwartz, Sun Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
The vibe lightens fast as Aquarius season begins on January 19th, activating your sector of expansion, travel, education, and big-picture thinking.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 18 Jan. 2026
Our version lightens things up with a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth cookie.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Dec. 2025
Using an immersion blender or mixer, beat the yolks with the sugar in a large mixing bowl until the mixture lightens in color.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 13 Dec. 2025
As the boots bend and flex with regular wear, the leather lightens at the crease points, resulting in a one-of-a-kind look that is unique to each wearer.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 12 Nov. 2025
After addressing the anxious crowd, the pilot lightens the mood once more.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
That’s why engineers at The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) have developed a soft robotic exoskeleton that doesn’t just assist motion, but lightens the load, literally.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lightens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lightens. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
