lighten
LEYE-tn
Lighten (verb) means to make or become brighter. Example: “The sky began to lighten as dawn approached.”
verb
1
To make or become brighter.
"The sky began to lighten as dawn approached."
2
To make something less heavy or less burdensome.
"They lightened the load by leaving some bags behind."
"Splitting the chores lightened everyone's workload."
3
To become more cheerful, or to make a mood less serious.
"A joke helped lighten the tense meeting."
How to use lighten
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo make something brighter, lighter in weight, or less serious.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "enlighten," which means to inform or educate someone.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
lighten the mood
lighten the load
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- lightens
- Past tense
- lightened
- Archaic forms
- lightenest, lightenedst, lighteneth
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The sky began to _____ as dawn approached.
Etymology
From Middle English lightnen, formed from light + the verb-forming suffix -en.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for lighten
See all rhymes for lighten →Frequently asked questions
What does “lighten” mean?
The word “lighten” means to make or become brighter. In plain terms, to make something brighter, lighter in weight, or less serious.
How do you pronounce “lighten”?
“Lighten” is pronounced LEYE-tn (/ˈlaɪ.tn̩/ in IPA).
How do you use “lighten” in a sentence?
Here is “lighten” used in a sentence: “The sky began to lighten as dawn approached.”
What part of speech is “lighten”?
“Lighten” is a verb.
Where does the word “lighten” come from?
The word “lighten” comes from Middle English. From Middle English lightnen, formed from light + the verb-forming suffix -en.
Is “lighten” a common word?
“Lighten” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “lighten” have?
“Lighten” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to make or become brighter.
