brighten
Americanverb (used with or without object)
verb
-
to make or become bright or brighter
-
to make or become cheerful
Other Word Forms
- brightener noun
- rebrighten verb
- unbrightened adjective
Etymology
Origin of brighten
First recorded in 1250–1300, brighten is from the Middle English word brightnen. See bright, -en 1
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.
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
Winter really does need these tiny pockets of sweetness to brighten the bite, and whether you choose something caramelized and dense or something juicy and sharp, that contrast makes the whole thing sing.
From Salon • Dec. 16, 2025
When they finally reached camp it was 4:30 A.M., and the sky was starting to brighten above the eastern horizon.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
