lighten

¹ American  

[lahyt-n] / ˈlaɪt n /

verb (used without object)

1. to become lighter or less dark; brighten.

   The sky lightened after the storm.

2. to brighten or light up, as the eyes or features.

   Her face lightened when she heard the good news.

3. to flash as or like lightning (often used impersonally with it as subject).

   It thundered and lightened for hours.

4. Archaic. to shine, gleam, or be bright.

   steel blades lightening in the sun.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to give light to; illuminate.

   A full moon lightened the road.

2. to brighten (the eyes, features, etc.).

   A large smile lightened his face.

3. to make lighter or less dark.

   Add white to lighten the paint.

4. Obsolete. enlighten.

5. Obsolete. to flash or emit like lightning (usually followed by out, forth, ordown ).

   eyes that lightened forth implacable hatred.

lighten ² American  

[lahyt-n] / ˈlaɪt n /

verb (used with object)

1. to make lighter in weight.

   to lighten the load on a truck.

2. to lessen the load of or upon.

   to lighten a cargo ship.

3. to make less burdensome or oppressive; alleviate; mitigate.

   to lighten taxes;

   to lighten someone's cares.

   Synonyms:

   reduce, lessen, ease

   Antonyms:

   aggravate

4. to cheer or gladden.

   Such news lightens my heart.

---

verb (used without object)

1. to become less severe, stringent, or harsh; ease up.

   Border inspections have lightened recently.

2. to become less heavy, cumbersome, burdensome, oppressive, etc..

   His worries seem to have lightened somewhat.

3. to become less gloomy; perk up.

   People's spirits usually lighten when spring arrives.

lighten ¹ British  

/ ˈlaɪtən /

verb

1. to become or make light

2. (intr) to shine; glow

3. (intr) (of lightning) to flash

4. (tr) an archaic word for enlighten

---

lighten ² British  

/ ˈlaɪtən /

verb

1. to make or become less heavy

2. to make or become less burdensome or oppressive; mitigate

3. to make or become more cheerful or lively

---

Other Word Forms

• lightener noun

Etymology

Origin of lighten¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English lightnen; light ¹, -en ¹

Origin of lighten²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English lightnen; light ², -en ¹

Example Sentences

Speaking backstage, they told reporters that they were unsure how they would recapture that lightening in a bottle for the sequel they have planned with Netflix.

From BBC

And then, as the sky starts to lighten ahead of sunrise, we hear footsteps.

From BBC

The EU is also now working to lighten regulatory burdens that European companies say hurt their global competitiveness, although results aren’t yet clear.

From The Wall Street Journal

Or did the embrace of “Rocky” and “Jaws” mean that audiences wanted their movies to lighten up?

From The Wall Street Journal

My self-consciousness about the high number of touring productions persuaded me not to include “Shucked” at the Hollywood Pantages, which lightened the summer with its country bumpkin merriment.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• alleviate
• ameliorate
• cut down
• dilute
• ease
• facilitate
• lessen
• mitigate
• mollify
• relieve