lighten
1- to become lighter or less dark; brighten: The sky lightened after the storm.
- to brighten or light up, as the eyes or features: Her face lightened when she heard the good news.
- to flash as or like lightning (often used impersonally with it as subject): It thundered and lightened for hours.
- Archaic. to shine, gleam, or be bright: steel blades lightening in the sun.
- to give light to; illuminate: A full moon lightened the road.
- to brighten (the eyes, features, etc.): A large smile lightened his face.
- to make lighter or less dark: Add white to lighten the paint.
- Obsolete. enlighten.
- Obsolete. to flash or emit like lightning (usually followed by out, forth, or down): eyes that lightened forth implacable hatred.
Origin of lighten
1lighten
2- to make lighter in weight: to lighten the load on a truck.
- to lessen the load of or upon: to lighten a cargo ship.
- to make less burdensome or oppressive; alleviate; mitigate: to lighten taxes; to lighten someone's cares.
- to cheer or gladden: Such news lightens my heart.
- to become less severe, stringent, or harsh; ease up: Border inspections have lightened recently.
- to become less heavy, cumbersome, burdensome, oppressive, etc.: His worries seem to have lightened somewhat.
- to become less gloomy; perk up: People's spirits usually lighten when spring arrives.
Origin of lighten
2Synonyms for lighten
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comAntonyms for lighten
Related Words for lighten
brighten, mitigate, dilute, facilitate, ease, relieve, lessen, alleviate, mollify, ameliorate, shine, irradiate, light, flash, illume, gleam, reduce, decrease, allay, levitateExamples from the Web for lighten
Contemporary Examples of lighten
Doane tweeted, “the film does make fun of Wannabe Berean unimaginative Christians who need to lighten up.”
Kirk Cameron Saves Christmas from Abominable Killjoys (Other Christians)Brandy Zadrozny
November 14, 2014
Jazz lovers who had taken exception to the previous bashing were told to lighten up, and stop complaining.
As mourning time progressed and the emotional strain began to subside, the black hues began to lighten.
“That sound is a requirement for renting a car in Costa Rica,” Mugianis jokes to lighten the mood.
Of course, I am aware that this is a simply a video game and critics would say I should lighten up.
Historical Examples of lighten
But at that moment an inspiration came to lighten the gloom.
The Bacillus of BeautyHarriet Stark
After a short consultation it was determined to lighten the ship.
Ned MyersJames Fenimore Cooper
Perhaps together we might lighten the weight of it a little.
The MemorabiliaXenophon
He had done all that he could on the journey to lighten the labor of those attached to his own wagon.
Si Klegg, Book 5 (of 6)John McElroy
That it might be able to lighten the burden of this self-imposed labour.
The Hound From The NorthRidgwell Cullum
lighten
1- to become or make light
- (intr) to shine; glow
- (intr) (of lightning) to flash
- (tr) an archaic word for enlighten
lighten
2- to make or become less heavy
- to make or become less burdensome or oppressive; mitigate
- to make or become more cheerful or lively