light up
Britishverb
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to light a cigarette, pipe, etc
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to illuminate or cause to illuminate
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to make or become cheerful or animated
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Become or cause to become more animated or cheerful, as in Her laughter lit up the whole room , or His face lit up when he saw her . This expression transfers physical illumination to human moods. Also see lighten up . [Mid-1700s]
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Start smoking a cigar, cigarette, or pipe, as in The minute he got outside the church he lit up . [ Colloquial ; mid-1800s]
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.
You already know about the superstars who could light up the 2026 Fifa World Cup, but what about the next wave of talent?
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
But when Jeff fibs and says that Helen’s going to be in a new Paul Newman film, eyes light up.
From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026
"Sam was one of those people you never forget. The kind of person who could light up a room without even trying."
From BBC • May 16, 2026
NASA’s Artemis II fly-by mission will light up the Florida sky at launch, and observers can watch from miles away.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
At once, hundreds of lanterns light up along brick paths, revealing dozens and dozens of stone buildings that dot the rocky landscape that stretches as far and wide as a small town.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
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.
