light up

phrasal verb

of a light : to become lit : to begin shining

All of the lights on the display suddenly lit up.

—often used figuratively to express interest or pleasure

His eyes/face lit up when she walked in the room.

informal, of a telephone : to show a light indicating that someone is calling

When the DJ announced a contest, the phones lit up.

informal : to light a cigarette

I can't wait to light up after work.

Examples of light up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Grandpa loves it, and the grandkids absolutely light up with excitement when the heart spins, knowing a message from Grandpa is waiting for them. —

Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 25 Oct. 2024 These things light up different neuropathways for me that keep me on a path of being dynamic instead of falling into a static mode. —

Expert Panel®, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024 The next full moon to light up the sky will be on Friday, Nov. 15. —

Cailey Gleeson, Journal Sentinel, 17 Oct. 2024 The best locations will be anywhere that looks dark on a light pollution map, preferably one that doesn't have an urban area to the north, which could light up the night sky in the exact position the aurora is most likely to appear. —

Jamie Carter, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for light up

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'light up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.