brighten
verb (used with or without object)
to become or make bright or brighter.
were brightening
-
past progressiveof brighten.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
The stars were fading and streaks of rose were brightening the eastern horizon as a chartered Learstar, just in from New York, taxied onto an apron at Washington's National Airport.
From Time Magazine Archive
On Catoctin Mountain, a ridge of the Appalachians that runs north to south through the western part of the state, the trees were brightening into soft yellows and golds.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
The sun had swept away the gray autumnal mists, and its rays were brightening the gloomy landscape with a look of youth and holiday.
From The Chouans by Katharine Prescott Wormeley
And then In fury and in panic fled From the Hell Mouth at Cruachan And gave God thanks that overhead The clouds were brightening with the dawn.
From Responsibilities and other poems by W. B. (William Butler) Yeats
Mr. Densmore sighed, though his eyes were brightening.
From An Amiable Charlatan by E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim
