1
as in illuminated
Related Words
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Dissimilar Words
2
as in eased
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in brightened
to become glad or hopeful
the patient lightened when he heard the disease responds well to treatment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in illumined
to supply with light
the room was gradually lightened by the rising sun
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of lightened
Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2026
When the mood strikes for a hair refresh, even brunettes have a sudden thirst for bursts of lightened hair.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2026
Only two of the eight wives this season are blonde, a stark difference from season one wherein all but one had highlights, lightened hair, or full-on bleach jobs.
—Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 26 Mar. 2026
Hadid wore her lightened tresses in a bun with loose curly tendrils framing her face.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 27 Feb. 2026
Reuters, NBC news, 15 May 2026
Think Snake River Farms beef dashed with huckleberry, steelhead larb, Basque tortillas and churros lightened with potato flour — but expect the sharable menu to change regularly.
—Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 14 May 2026
Beat on medium speed until lightened in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
—Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 11 May 2026
Soon after, his workload lightened, but traveling took a toll on him.
—Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 4 May 2026
But he was known also for an ever-ready smile, an unflappable temperament and unassuming demeanor, an ego-less willingness to pitch in to help other reporters on stories large and small, and a quirky sense of humor that lightened the stress of many a deadline.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 1 May 2026
The filmmakers have lightened and brightened their source material to a kid-friendly degree — even the English countryside, as glisteningly shot by George Steel, has never looked less overcast.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
Before the show, her hair was lightened to a sparkling blonde by Jacob Schwartz using Schwarzkopf Professional.
—Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 16 Mar. 2026
The crowds have lightened over the decades, but the game endures.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Robinson added 17 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and a block, and both Mikal Bridges (23 minutes) and Josh Hart (28) saw lightened workloads as the Knicks made quick work of the Bulls on Friday.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2026
When the mood strikes for a hair refresh, even brunettes have a sudden thirst for bursts of lightened hair.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2026
Only two of the eight wives this season are blonde, a stark difference from season one wherein all but one had highlights, lightened hair, or full-on bleach jobs.
—Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 26 Mar. 2026
Hadid wore her lightened tresses in a bun with loose curly tendrils framing her face.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
Nagatitan belonged to a subgroup of sauropods that possessed bones with lots of internal air sacs and thin walls, traits that lightened their skeletons.
—Reuters, NBC news, 15 May 2026
Think Snake River Farms beef dashed with huckleberry, steelhead larb, Basque tortillas and churros lightened with potato flour — but expect the sharable menu to change regularly.
—Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 14 May 2026
Beat on medium speed until lightened in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
—Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 11 May 2026
Soon after, his workload lightened, but traveling took a toll on him.
—Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 4 May 2026
But he was known also for an ever-ready smile, an unflappable temperament and unassuming demeanor, an ego-less willingness to pitch in to help other reporters on stories large and small, and a quirky sense of humor that lightened the stress of many a deadline.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 1 May 2026
The filmmakers have lightened and brightened their source material to a kid-friendly degree — even the English countryside, as glisteningly shot by George Steel, has never looked less overcast.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
Before the show, her hair was lightened to a sparkling blonde by Jacob Schwartz using Schwarzkopf Professional.
—Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 16 Mar. 2026
The crowds have lightened over the decades, but the game endures.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lightened
Adjective
-
Because a bright sky helps subdue Venus's glare, this is a good time to inspect the planet telescopically, though its gibbous disk remains rather small and approximately seven-eighths illuminated.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
18 May 2026
-
Facade and interior of a pharmacy (pharmacie) with green illuminated sign, display windows and sales area visible through the windows in Paris, France, on March 19, 2026.—
Pooja Mistry,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Despite the eased restrictions, Rader is still only allowed out of his 8-foot-by-10-foot cell for one hour a day, five days a week.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Instead, the data revealed a planet in flux where areas brightened explosively in one year and dimmed sharply the next; regions flickered in rhythms tied to oil booms, armed conflicts, and pandemic lockdowns.—
Bree Shirvell,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
-
According to a new study that analyzed a combination of satellite images, artificial nighttime lights have brightened Earth by 16% between 2014 and 2022.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Fantastic, illumined by periodic excursions into surrealism, as when the crew of a mysterious UFO boards a transpacific Kahuna Airlines jet midflight.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
He was slowed early in his recovery from a knee injury and then saw a decreased role in the rotation in the last month, playing only seven minutes in three tournament games.—
Joseph Duarte,
Houston Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Just like in humans, salmonella exposure can sicken pets, causing lethargy, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever and a decreased appetite.—
Jeremy Tanner,
The Hill,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Misael eating meat alone, cutting up pieces with an enormous knife while barely lit by the flames in front of him, and, sporadically, almost-silent lightning bursts in the distant background.—
Vadim Rizov,
IndieWire,
16 May 2026
-
His new film Fatherland, like Cold War and Ida, is shot in a lustrous monochrome that turns shadows into punctuation marks and sunbeams into something holy, and that makes its performers, chief among them an incredible Sandra Hüller, look lit from within.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Southern Hemisphere has its own polar lights known as the southern lights, or aurora australis, which create a dazzling display of their own.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
Dreyer added an assist when the 19-year-old Soma scored his first career goal — a dazzling one — in his 12th appearance for a 3-0 advantage in the 54th minute.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
For its part, China, says the BRI has contributed to the social and economic development of member countries , created thousands of jobs and alleviated poverty, as well as spurring economic growth and commercial partnerships.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
29 Aug. 2025
-
Republicans say alleviated concerns about the management of the lieutenant governor’s campaign, coupled with a focus on cultural issues in some Northern Virginia schools, is benefiting the state’s GOP ticket.—
Julia Manchester,
The Hill,
25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lightened. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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