verb
Uncommon
brighten
BREYE-tuhn
Brighten (verb) means to make or become lighter or more vivid in colour. Example: “A coat of white paint brightened the whole room.”
verb
1
To make or become lighter or more vivid in colour.
"A coat of white paint brightened the whole room."
2
To make or become more cheerful.
"Her visit really brightened his day."
"His mood brightened as soon as the sun came out."
How to use brighten
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo make something lighter, more colourful, or more cheerful — or to become that way.
Common pairings
brighten up
brighten someone's day
brighten the mood
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- brightens
- Past tense
- brightened
- Archaic forms
- brightenest, brightenedst, brighteneth
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
A coat of white paint _____ the whole room.
Etymology
From bright plus the verb-forming suffix -en.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for brighten
See all rhymes for brighten →Frequently asked questions
What does “brighten” mean?
The word “brighten” means to make or become lighter or more vivid in colour. In plain terms, to make something lighter, more colourful, or more cheerful — or to become that way.
How do you pronounce “brighten”?
“Brighten” is pronounced BREYE-tuhn ([ˈbɹaɪ̯ʔn̩] in IPA).
How do you use “brighten” in a sentence?
Here is “brighten” used in a sentence: “A coat of white paint brightened the whole room.”
What part of speech is “brighten”?
“Brighten” is a verb.
Is “brighten” a common word?
“Brighten” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “brighten” have?
“Brighten” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to make or become lighter or more vivid in colour.
