lighten 1 of 2

as in to brighten
to become glad or hopeful the patient lightened when he heard the disease responds well to treatment

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

lighten

2 of 2

verb (2)

Synonym Chooser

How is the word lighten different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of lighten are allay, alleviate, assuage, mitigate, and relieve. While all these words mean "to make something less grievous," lighten implies reducing a burdensome or depressing weight.

good news would lighten our worries

When can allay be used instead of lighten?

The meanings of allay and lighten largely overlap; however, allay implies an effective calming or soothing of fears or alarms.

allayed their fears

Where would alleviate be a reasonable alternative to lighten?

The words alleviate and lighten can be used in similar contexts, but alleviate implies temporary or partial lessening of pain or distress.

the lotion alleviated the itching

In what contexts can assuage take the place of lighten?

The synonyms assuage and lighten are sometimes interchangeable, but assuage implies softening or sweetening what is harsh or disagreeable.

ocean breezes assuaged the intense heat

When would mitigate be a good substitute for lighten?

While in some cases nearly identical to lighten, mitigate suggests a moderating or countering of the effect of something violent or painful.

the need to mitigate barbaric laws

When is relieve a more appropriate choice than lighten?

The words relieve and lighten are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, relieve implies a lifting of enough of a burden to make it tolerable.

took an aspirin to relieve the pain

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lighten
Verb
To be fiscally prudent, the government should not lighten taxes on capital as a means of trying to boost productivity. Matthew J. Slaughter, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025 The utility believes additional connections will help lighten the average load for ratepayers by spreading the system’s costs among more customers. George Avalos, The Mercury News, 13 Feb. 2025 Typical periods tend to start heavier and lighten over a few days to a week. Angelica Bottaro, Verywell Health, 23 Jan. 2025 Potential side effects include temporary darkening or lightening of the skin and persistent redness. Laura Schober, Health, 23 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lighten

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Cite this Entry

“Lighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lighten. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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