light up

phrasal verb

of a light : to become lit : to begin shining

All of the lights on the display suddenly lit up.

—often used figuratively to express interest or pleasure

His eyes/face lit up when she walked in the room.

informal, of a telephone : to show a light indicating that someone is calling

When the DJ announced a contest, the phones lit up.

informal : to light a cigarette

I can't wait to light up after work.

Examples of light up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Taylor Swift is set to light up Hard Rock Stadium for three nights from Friday, October 18 through Saturday, October 20. —

Jenzia Burgos, StyleCaster, 5 Sep. 2024 The trip is an attempt to atone for the precariousness of Lu and Sy’s childhood, and when, in the admissions line, the kids light up at an advertisement for overpriced gumdrops, May can’t bear to deny them. —

Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2024 His charisma, joy and love created a one-of-a-kind presence that could light up any room or brighten any dark day. —

Brian Wacker, Baltimore Sun, 7 Aug. 2024 Fireworks light up the sky, and two waterfalls of fire surround Zozobra. —

Heather Mundt, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for light up

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'light up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.