brightenverb [ I or T ]
uk/ˈbraɪ.tən/us/ˈbraɪ.t̬ən/brighten verb [ I or T ] (LIGHTER)
to (cause to) become lighter:
The room was small and dark, without so much as a ray of light to brighten the gloom.
It was rainy this morning, but it brightened up (= the sun started shining) after lunch.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Giving out light
- alight
- blink
- burn
- burnish
- cast
- catch
- dazzle
- flicker
- gild
- glance
- glitter
- glow
- illuminate
- light
- redshift
- reflected ray
- shimmer
- sparkly
- strobe
- UV
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brighten verb [ I or T ] (HAPPIER)
to (cause to) become happy or full of hope:
Her eyes brightened when she saw him enter the room.
There are, however, one or two items of good news to brighten the economic picture a bit.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Causing pleasure
- agreeable
- all things to all people idiom
- attractive
- banging
- be better than sex idiom
- delicacy
- do sb the world of good idiom
- dreamy
- ducky
- enchant
- engaging
- jolly
- keep on the right side of sb idiom
- keep sb sweet idiom
- knock
- leafy
- lighten
- lovely
- quench
- tickle
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Feeling pleasure and happiness