brighten

brighten — verb

1. when the weather or sky brightens, it grows lighter as dark clouds begin to brea

1.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

when the weather or sky brightens, it grows lighter as dark clouds begin to break.

Example

By noon, the sky brightened and children ran back to the playground.

intransitive: weather becomes sunnier

After breakfast, the weather brightened over Kaohsiung and the sea turned blue.

Common collocations
  • the sky brightens
  • the weather brightens
  • brighten by noon
  • brighten after rain
Synonyms
  • clear

    often stresses clouds or fog going away rather than the increase in light itself

  • improve

    is broader and can describe any better weather, not only lighter skies

  • lift

    is often used of cloud, fog, or gloom moving upward or away

Antonyms
  • darken

    means become less bright as light fades or clouds gather

  • cloud over

    specifically means become covered with cloud

Grammar Patterns

the weather brightens

the sky brightens

Usage Note

Subject is usually weather, sky, morning, or day, and there is no direct object. Distinguish from sense 2, where a room, color, or object becomes brighter in appearance.

2. to give a room, object, or color more light or a livelier look, or to take on th

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to give a room, object, or color more light or a livelier look, or to take on that brighter look.

Example

White curtains brightened the narrow bedroom beside the station.

brighten + room or space

A bowl of oranges brightened the kitchen table.

Common collocations
  • brighten a room
  • brighten the walls
  • brighten with flowers
  • brighten the picture
  • brighten the kitchen
Synonyms
  • lighten

    is broader and may only mean make less dark, without adding color or charm

  • illuminate

    is more formal and usually stresses supplying actual light

  • enhance

    means improve appearance in a general way, not specifically by light or color

  • freshen

    often suggests making something look newer or cleaner

Antonyms
  • darken

    make something less bright or deeper in color

  • dull

    make color or appearance less lively

Grammar Patterns

brighten a room

brighten something with color

a room brightens in the sun

Usage Note

Object is often a room, wall, photo, corner, or item of clothing. Distinguish from sense 4: this sense is about visual effect, even when the result also feels more pleasant.

Common Mistakes

The lamp brightened in the room.
The lamp brightened the room.
in the transitive visual sense, the place becoming lighter is the object.

3. to look, sound, or feel more cheerful and hopeful than before.

3.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to look, sound, or feel more cheerful and hopeful than before.

Example

Leila brightened when the nurse said her father could go home.

brighten when + good news

At the word holiday, the twins brightened at once.

Common collocations
  • brighten at the news
  • brighten when someone arrives
  • face brightens
  • eyes brighten
Synonyms
  • cheer up

    is more informal and strongly suggests becoming less sad

  • perk up

    is informal and often suggests a quick rise in energy

  • beam

    is stronger and usually means show a big happy smile

Antonyms
  • gloom

    means become noticeably sadder or darker in mood

  • sink

    suggests losing hope or energy

Grammar Patterns

someone brightens

someone brightens when ...

someone's face brightens

Usage Note

The subject is the person, face, eyes, or voice that shows the change. Distinguish from sense 4, where something causes that more hopeful feeling in another person or situation.

Common Mistakes

The prize brightened Ravi when he heard the result.
Ravi brightened when he heard the result.
when a person's expression changes, brighten is usually intransitive.

4. to make a person, a period of time, or a situation feel more hopeful or pleasant

4.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to make a person, a period of time, or a situation feel more hopeful or pleasant.

Example

The baby's laugh brightened everyone at the long clinic meeting.

brighten + person or group

A short text from Omar brightened Hana's whole morning.

collocation: brighten someone's day or morning

Common collocations
  • brighten someone's day
  • brighten the mood
  • brighten a week
  • brighten the class
Synonyms
  • cheer

    is the nearest general verb for making someone happier

  • encourage

    focuses more on giving confidence to act

  • lift

    often appears in phrases such as lift someone's spirits

  • gladden

    is more literary and less common in everyday speech

Antonyms
  • depress

    make someone feel sadder or more hopeless

  • sadden

    cause sadness instead of relief or hope

Grammar Patterns

brighten someone's day

brighten a mood

brighten a difficult time

Usage Note

Object is often a person, a group, or a time expression such as day, morning, week, or mood. Distinguish from sense 2, where the result is mainly visual rather than emotional.

Common Mistakes

The song brightened after lunch.
The song brightened the office after lunch.
this transitive sense needs the person, group, or situation that becomes more cheerful as the object.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/2

Brighten is a flexible everyday verb for making a room, color, picture, or corner look lighter and more lively. Lighten is broader and may only mean making something less dark, without adding warmth or charm. Illuminate is more formal and usually focuses on providing actual light so that people can see. Enhance means improve in a general way and often sounds less visual. Freshen suggests making something look newer, cleaner, or less tired. You might brighten a kitchen with yellow curtains, illuminate a path with small lamps, enhance a photo with editing, or freshen a bedroom with new paint.

lightenilluminate ↗enhance ↗freshen

Common collocations

Adverbs

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Brighten was formed in English from bright and the verb ending -en, which often makes verbs meaning become or make. Bright goes back to Old English beorht, meaning shining or clear, so brighten kept the idea of giving more light, color, or cheer.