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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brighten
The grains were tender, pleasantly sticky, and subtly brightened with rice vinegar.
—
Rebekah Peppler, Travel + Leisure, 18 Mar. 2025
Hyaluronic acid boosts hydration, while apple extract brightens and smooths the skin.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 14 Mar. 2025
Rochford’s Guinness Beef Stew is a rich, chunky dish infused with traditional Guinness beer and brightened with fresh rosemary, and cherry tomatoes.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Mar. 2025
Be the first to rate & review! Punchy and zingy lemon and Dijon mustard instantly brighten the classic carrot-raisin salad.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 9 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brighten
Rebekah Peppler, Travel + Leisure, 18 Mar. 2025
Hyaluronic acid boosts hydration, while apple extract brightens and smooths the skin.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 14 Mar. 2025
Rochford’s Guinness Beef Stew is a rich, chunky dish infused with traditional Guinness beer and brightened with fresh rosemary, and cherry tomatoes.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Mar. 2025
Be the first to rate & review! Punchy and zingy lemon and Dijon mustard instantly brighten the classic carrot-raisin salad.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 9 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brighten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brighten
Verb
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Maps and algorithms may account for weather, but fires can start from lots of things other than lightening.—
Ron Lieber,
New York Times,
19 Mar. 2025
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Her mood does not lighten when her mother Estella, an effusive and attention-grabbing movie star, makes a surprise visit.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Curtains designed by Rut Bryk glow in the house her husband, Tapio Wirkkala, built for her in their summer retreat in Finnish Lapland.—
Julie Lasky,
New York Times,
4 Apr. 2025
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While mothers are expected to radiate happiness after delivery and glow in their new role as a mom, this is unfortunately not always the case.—
Kaitlyn May,
Hartford Courant,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The move is part of a broader push to revive domestic manufacturing and address what Trump sees as unfair trade practices.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2025
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Long before Ford finally revived the Bronco and put it on the road in 2021, Wraith and his team created a metallic silver Bronco concept in 2004 with some nods to the original, including the word Bronco on the front grille.—
Jamie L. LaReau,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brighten. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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