brightener
Americannoun
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a person or thing that brightens.
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a chemical or other agent used to increase brightness, as one added to toothpaste or detergent to intensify the cleansing or bleaching process.
Etymology
Origin of brightener
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 long luxurious soak in a bath of hot water and oxygen brightener followed by a thorough wash is way more effective than a single laundry cycle.
From Salon • Jul. 8, 2022
Deck cleaners can darken the wood, so some contractors use a wood brightener to restore the natural appearance before staining.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 14, 2021
A brightener around the eyes can also help, and be sure to use one of the newfangled no-smudge mascaras that are made out of congealing tubes and therefore don’t flake or run.
From New York Times • Feb. 20, 2019
The wood cleaner is caustic, and the brightener is acidic, so using one and then the other neutralizes the wood after it is cleaned.
From Washington Post • Nov. 18, 2016
"Little friend Ch'geegee" is what it means; for the Indians, like everybody else who knows Chickadee, are fond of this cheery little brightener of the northern woods.
From Ways of Wood Folk by Copeland, Charles
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.
