as in to lighten
to become glad or hopeful
the glum soccer player started to brighten upon being told that his injury would not jeopardize his career
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Recent Examples of brighten
Finn was a sweet soul, who brightened all of our lives.
—
Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Or tender, juicy mojo pork marinated with savory cumin and cilantro, and brightened with zesty lime and orange juices.
—Martie Bowser, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
Support her post-grad skin with brightening serums, refillable lipsticks, and edge-control that actually holds during interviews and celebrations.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 5 Sep. 2025
Chorizo, shrimp, clams, and corn soak in a rich beer-and-butter broth, brightened with lemon and parsley to deliver all the flavor of a hands-on boil without the mess.
—Saveur Editors, Saveur, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brighten
Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Or tender, juicy mojo pork marinated with savory cumin and cilantro, and brightened with zesty lime and orange juices.
—Martie Bowser, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
Support her post-grad skin with brightening serums, refillable lipsticks, and edge-control that actually holds during interviews and celebrations.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 5 Sep. 2025
Chorizo, shrimp, clams, and corn soak in a rich beer-and-butter broth, brightened with lemon and parsley to deliver all the flavor of a hands-on boil without the mess.
—Saveur Editors, Saveur, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brighten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brighten
Verb
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Zillow owns Follow Up Boss, one of the largest CRMs for real estate professionals, where AI is being used to lighten the load of human real estate agents juggling calls, notes, follow-ups, and property tours.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
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Because entrepreneurs wear many hats, AI is key to lightening their load.—
Anna Horndahl,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, the headphones, meant to unify the audience in a shared soundscape, instead isolate viewers into their glowing silos, which feels like an ironic choice for a show supposedly about communal grief.—
David Hochman,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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As the glowing waning gibbous moon rose over center field, the Red Sox went quietly into the night one last time in the bottom of the ninth.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Color Wow Dreaming Advanced Repair & Resurfacing Treatment Fried hair was revived once this reparative mask worked its magic.—
Jackie Fields,
PEOPLE,
9 Sep. 2025
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Soak bare-root hostas in warm water for 30 minutes to an hour before planting to help revive the roots and absorb moisture.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brighten. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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