brightened; brightening
ˈbrīt-niŋ 
ˈbrī-tᵊn-iŋ
1
: to make bright or brighter
you brightened my day
2
: to enhance or intensify the flavor of (food) especially by adding an acidic element (such as citrus juice or vinegar)
Crisp lemon slices brighten smoky bacon and rosemary-infused trout.—
Melissa Roberts-Matar
Melissa Roberts-Matar
Examples of brighten in a Sentence
He brightened the picture on the television.
Flowers can brighten any room.
The good news brightened her mood.
The sky brightened after the storm.
Business prospects brightened last month.
Her face brightened in relief when she heard that he was not hurt.
Recent Examples on the Web
Or brighten up your campsite with Asmad Solar Garden Lights, currently 41 percent off.
—Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 16 Feb. 2025
In 1912, Albert Einstein posited that when a foreground star drifts in front of a background star, the background star should briefly brighten, as the gravity of the one in front distorts and magnifies its light.
—Jeffrey Kluger/greenbelt, TIME, 8 Feb. 2025
Sometimes just sharing a kind word can brighten someone’s day.
—Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
View 3 Images View gallery - 3 images Luxo Jr. has been brightening up every Pixar film since 1995, when the anthropomorphic desk lamp first appeared on screen and stomped on the animation studio's logo in its opening credits.
—New Atlas, 7 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for brighten 
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Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 16 Feb. 2025
In 1912, Albert Einstein posited that when a foreground star drifts in front of a background star, the background star should briefly brighten, as the gravity of the one in front distorts and magnifies its light.
—Jeffrey Kluger/greenbelt, TIME, 8 Feb. 2025
Sometimes just sharing a kind word can brighten someone’s day.
—Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
View 3 Images View gallery - 3 images Luxo Jr. has been brightening up every Pixar film since 1995, when the anthropomorphic desk lamp first appeared on screen and stomped on the animation studio's logo in its opening credits.
—New Atlas, 7 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for brighten
Dictionary Entries Near brighten
Cite this Entry
“Brighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brighten. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
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