brighten

verb
UK: /ˈbraɪ.tən/
US: /ˈbraɪ.tən/

  1. To make something lighter or brighter.

    1. New curtains will brighten the room. [ ] [ ]
    2. Adding a few colourful cushions can significantly brighten up a dull living space. [ ] [ ]

  2. To become lighter or brighter.

    1. The sky will brighten after the rain. [ ] [ ]
    2. As the sun began to rise, the landscape began to gradually brighten around us. [ ] [ ]

  3. To make someone feel happier.

    1. A smile can brighten someone's day. [ ] [ ]
    2. Receiving flowers from a friend will always brighten up my mood. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

illuminate shine cheer lighten gleam perk up
brighten transitive-verb

  1. To improve or enhance the appearance of something.

    1. Use this cream to brighten your skin. [ ] [ ]
    2. The artist used vivid colors to brighten the overall effect of his painting. [ ] [ ]
brighten intransitive-verb

  1. To become happier or more cheerful.

    1. I brighten when I see my friends. [ ] [ ]
    2. She seemed to brighten considerably at the prospect of a holiday. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "brighten" in English means: To make something lighter or brighter., To become lighter or brighter., To make someone feel happier..

The phonetic transcription of "brighten" is /ˈbraɪ.tən/ in British English and /ˈbraɪ.tən/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "brighten": illuminate, shine, cheer, lighten, gleam, perk up.

Example usage of "brighten": "New curtains will brighten the room.". More examples on the page.