brighten

[brahyt-n] / ˈbraɪt n /

VERB

make shine or glow

Synonyms

STRONGEST

clear up enliven illuminate light up lighten

STRONG

burnish gleam illumine intensify kindle polish

WEAK

buff up grow sunny punch up spiff up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

complicate darken dull

WEAK

deepen depress fade upset

VERB

make happy, feel better

Synonyms

STRONGEST

clear up enliven improve perk up

STRONG

cheer encourage gladden hearten

WEAK

become cheerful buck up buoy up cheer up look up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

worsen

STRONG

bring down depress discourage dishearten dissuade

WEAK

darken deepen dull fade upset

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A series of converging yellow rays brighten the Wilshire/La Brea station.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

If fresh ice was exposed, why did the comet not brighten right away?

From Science Daily • Mar. 21, 2026

"Through some of the darkest days of my career, with his infectious smile he would walk in and brighten up every single day."

From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026

Christmas trees still strung with lights brighten apartments during power cuts.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 26, 2026

We wanted to surprise them when they came home, so we frequented the public dump on early Saturday evenings to look for discarded paint and linoleum to brighten the inside of our house.

From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez

brighten

Example Sentences

Related Words