brighten

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bright·en

(brīt′n)

tr. & intr.v. bright·ened, bright·en·ing, bright·ens

To make or become bright or brighter.

bright′en·er n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

brighten

(ˈbraɪtən)

1. to make or become bright or brighter

2. to make or become cheerful

ˈbrightener n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

bright•en

(ˈbraɪt n)

v.i.

1. to become or make bright or brighter.

2. to become more cheerful.

[1250–1300]

bright′en•er, n.

brighten

Past participle: brightened
Gerund: brightening

Imperative
brighten
brighten

Present
I brighten
you brighten
he/she/it brightens
we brighten
you brighten
they brighten

Preterite
I brightened
you brightened
he/she/it brightened
we brightened
you brightened
they brightened

Present Continuous
I am brightening
you are brightening
he/she/it is brightening
we are brightening
you are brightening
they are brightening

Present Perfect
I have brightened
you have brightened
he/she/it has brightened
we have brightened
you have brightened
they have brightened

Past Continuous
I was brightening
you were brightening
he/she/it was brightening
we were brightening
you were brightening
they were brightening

Past Perfect
I had brightened
you had brightened
he/she/it had brightened
we had brightened
you had brightened
they had brightened

Future
I will brighten
you will brighten
he/she/it will brighten
we will brighten
you will brighten
they will brighten

Future Perfect
I will have brightened
you will have brightened
he/she/it will have brightened
we will have brightened
you will have brightened
they will have brightened

Future Continuous
I will be brightening
you will be brightening
he/she/it will be brightening
we will be brightening
you will be brightening
they will be brightening

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been brightening
you have been brightening
he/she/it has been brightening
we have been brightening
you have been brightening
they have been brightening

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been brightening
you will have been brightening
he/she/it will have been brightening
we will have been brightening
you will have been brightening
they will have been brightening

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been brightening
you had been brightening
he/she/it had been brightening
we had been brightening
you had been brightening
they had been brightening

Conditional
I would brighten
you would brighten
he/she/it would brighten
we would brighten
you would brighten
they would brighten

Past Conditional
I would have brightened
you would have brightened
he/she/it would have brightened
we would have brightened
you would have brightened
they would have brightened

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Verb	1.	brighten - make lighter or brighter; "The paint will brighten the room" lighten up, lighten alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue" darken - make dark or darker; "darken a room"
	2.	brighten - become clear; "The sky cleared after the storm" clear, light up, clear up

brighten

verb

1. cheer up, rally, take heart, perk up, buck up (informal), become cheerful Seeing him, she seemed to brighten a little.
cheer up sadden, blacken, become angry, look black, become gloomy, go crook (Austral. & N.Z. slang)

2. light up, shine, glow, gleam, clear up, lighten, enliven Her tearful eyes brightened with interest.
light up shadow, shade, dull, obscure, dim, overshadow, blacken, becloud, cloud over or up

3. enliven, animate, make brighter, vitalize Planted tubs brightened the area outside the door.

4. improve, pick up, rally, look up (informal), perk up, gain strength, take a turn for the better (informal) It is undeniable that the economic picture is brightening.

5. become brighter, light up, glow, gleam, clear up The sky above the ridge of the mountains brightened.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

brighten

verb

1. To become brighter or fairer:

clear (up), lighten.

2. To make lively or animated:

animate, enliven, light.

Translations

يُضيئ، يَسْطَع

oživitrozjasnit

klare oplive op

aufklaren erhellen schönen

avivar

éclairer

hÿrga; lífga

illuminarsi ravvivare rischiararsi

lyse opp

rozjasniť

jasniti sepoživitirazsvetliti sezvedriti se

aydınlanmakaydınlatmak

使明亮

brighten

[ˈbraɪtn] (also brighten up)

A. VT

1. (= make lighter) [+ room] → dar más luz a, iluminar más (TV) [+ picture] → dar brillo a

2. (= make more cheerful) [+ room] → alegrar; [+ situation] → mejorar

B. VI

1. [person] → animarse, alegrarse; [eyes] → iluminarse, brillar

2. [weather] → despejarse; [prospects] → mejorar

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

brighten

[ˈbraɪt^ən]

(= add colour to) → égayer

(= make lighter) → éclaircir

(= improve) [+ prospects] → améliorer

(= become happier) [face] → s'illuminer; [eyes] → s'allumer; [expression] → s'égayer

[weather, sky] → s'éclaircir

[prospects, situation] → s'améliorer

brighten up

[person] → s'égayer

[weather] → s'éclaircir

[prospects] → s'améliorer

vt (= add colour to) → égayer

[make more cheerful] → animerbright lights npl → lumières fpl

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

brighten (up)

vt sep

(= make cheerful) spirits, person → aufmuntern, aufheitern; room, atmosphere → aufhellen, aufheitern; conversation → beleben; prospects, situation → verbessern

(= make bright) colour, hair → aufhellen; metal → aufpolieren

(weather, sky) → sich aufklären or aufheitern

(person) → fröhlicher werden; (face) → sich aufhellen or aufheitern; (eyes) → aufleuchten; (prospects) → sich verbessern, freundlicher werden; (future) → freundlicher aussehen

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

brighten

[ˈbraɪtn]

1. vt (also brighten up) (colour) → ravvivare; (television picture) → alzare la luminosità di; (house, room) → rallegrare; (situation) → migliorare
a child will brighten up your life → un figlio allieterà la tua vita

2. vi (also brighten up) (person) → rianimarsi, rallegrarsi; (eyes, expression) → illuminarsi; (weather) → schiarirsi

bright

(brait) adjective

1. shining with much light. bright sunshine.

2. (of a colour) strong and bold. a bright red car.

3. cheerful. a bright smile.

4. clever. bright children.

ˈbrightly adverb

ˈbrightness noun

ˈbrighten verb

(often with up) to make or become bright or brighter. The new wallpaper brightens up the room.

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

"'King of Lochlin, let thy face brighten with gladness, and thine ear delight in the harp.

View in context

Shall I tell you some news to brighten this dull letter?

View in context

The memory of her forest dream had never passed away, and through trial and temptation she had been true, and kept her resolution still unbroken; seldom now did the warning bell sound in her ear, and seldom did the flower's fragrance cease to float about her, or the fairy light to brighten all whereon it fell.

View in context

Shaw did not care much about it; but soon he missed her if she did not come, and found that something fresh and pleasant seemed to brighten all his day, if a small, gray-coated figure, with an intelligent face, a merry voice, and a little hand slipped confidingly into his, went with him through the wintry park.

View in context

I suppose I was an odd little figure; I have been told that my anxiety to brighten her gave my face a strained look and put a tremor into the joke (I would stand on my head in the bed, my feet against the wall, and then cry excitedly, 'Are you laughing, mother?') - and perhaps what made her laugh was something I was unconscious of, but she did laugh suddenly now and then, whereupon I screamed exultantly to that dear sister, who was ever in waiting, to come and see the sight, but by the time she came the soft face was wet again.

View in context

With the ornaments on the walls and ceilings cleaned and brightened up, and with the heavy old-fashioned beds, chairs, and tables replaced by bright, pretty, and luxurious modern furniture, these two promised to be at once the most attractive and the most comfortable bedchambers in the hotel.

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As he rose to his feet his heavy face brightened slowly with a terrible smile.

View in context

That with soft touch now brightens into jade Lintel and door, and when she lifts the blind Floats through the darkened chamber of her sleep; While leagues away my love-winged messages Go flocking home; and though they mingle not, Our thoughts seek one another.

View in context

Thoughtful and pensive in general, her countenance always brightens into a smile when Reginald says anything amusing; and, let the subject be ever so serious that he may be conversing on, I am much mistaken if a syllable of his uttering escapes her.

View in context

The embarrassing sense of her position had heightened her color and brightened her eyes.

View in context

Up the chimney roared the fire, and brightened the room with its broad blaze.

View in context

It is my poverty that my hand never ceaseth bestowing; it is mine envy that I see waiting eyes and the brightened nights of longing.