lighten up

1. Become or cause to become less serious or gloomy, and more cheerful. For example, Lighten up, Sam—it'll turn out all right. This slangy expression transfers reducing a physical weight to a change of mood or attitude.

Example Sentences

The storms that battered the Hill Country for the last four days began to lighten up, although isolated pockets of heavy rain were still possible.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

What’s more, Bridges expresses gratitude for his wife’s frequent reminders to lighten up and have fun.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Doncic expressed shock at the trade and might well be thinking hard about lightening up rather than lighting up.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"Any attempts to lighten up, a smile and a laugh are quickly met by regret and guilt," they said.

Read more on BBC

No, this is more the fatigue of frustration — I want to like this show so much but it refuses to lighten up enough to let me in.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• acquiesce 
• capitulate 
• cave in 
• come around 
• comply 
• ease off 
• give in 
• give up 
• let go 
• quit 
• relax 
• slacken 
• soften 
• subside