as in brightening
to become glad or hopeful
the patient lightened when he heard the disease responds well to treatment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in illuminating
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
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 lightening
Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano,
The Spruce,
18 June 2026
Get bangs like no other and still avoid bulk with the help of lightening layers.
—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
Not the irony of having a skin-lightening condition (or predilection) while singlehandedly Blackening up the portals of pop music by integrating a music video network that upheld America's racist standard of (in)visibility.
—
Rodney Carmichael,
NPR,
3 June 2026
The overall vibe is quiet luxury—rich, polished, and well-maintained, without over-lightening the hair.
—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
24 May 2026
Cyrus has been subtly lightening her naturally brunette color over the last year, fueling rumors of a Hannah Montana reunion before the special was confirmed.
—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
26 Mar. 2026
Many aspirants, like Yusuf, consider jars of skin lightening cream to be essential, along with access to exclusive gyms and going to the right hair salon.
—
Taran Khan,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
How to treat melasma The best way to manage melasma is to use a skin-care routine that is right for your skin type, which includes skin-lightening ingredients like hydroquinone, tranexamic acid or niacinamide.
—
Leslie Baumann,
Miami Herald,
20 Mar. 2026
Music plays a central role throughout the Amphibian Stage production, acting as a transition between scenes and lightening the drama.
—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
Hydrogen peroxide is great for lightening stains in general.
—
Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano,
The Spruce,
18 June 2026
Get bangs like no other and still avoid bulk with the help of lightening layers.
—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
Not the irony of having a skin-lightening condition (or predilection) while singlehandedly Blackening up the portals of pop music by integrating a music video network that upheld America's racist standard of (in)visibility.
—
Rodney Carmichael,
NPR,
3 June 2026
The overall vibe is quiet luxury—rich, polished, and well-maintained, without over-lightening the hair.
—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
24 May 2026
Cyrus has been subtly lightening her naturally brunette color over the last year, fueling rumors of a Hannah Montana reunion before the special was confirmed.
—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
26 Mar. 2026
Many aspirants, like Yusuf, consider jars of skin lightening cream to be essential, along with access to exclusive gyms and going to the right hair salon.
—
Taran Khan,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
How to treat melasma The best way to manage melasma is to use a skin-care routine that is right for your skin type, which includes skin-lightening ingredients like hydroquinone, tranexamic acid or niacinamide.
—
Leslie Baumann,
Miami Herald,
20 Mar. 2026
Music plays a central role throughout the Amphibian Stage production, acting as a transition between scenes and lightening the drama.
—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lightening
Verb
-
Sabrina Carpenter posted a photo on Instagram of her makeup and featured the Make Beauty Skin Mimetic Concealer, a brightening concealer used by Courteney Cox and Hailey Bieber.
-
If your grout isn't horrendous with dirt or stains, this might be a great cleaner for brightening the lines.
Verb
-
From the deck, Pawlak could see lightning illuminating the coastline like a fireworks show.
-
The list of fireworks that aren’t allowed includes bottle rockets, Roman candles, illuminating torches, missiles with fins or rudders and single or multi-shot parachutes with night effects.
Verb
-
When the deal was made last season, Zellers was lighting it up with the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL.
-
Then as skies darkened, fireworks began lighting the skies everywhere.
Cite this Entry
“Lightening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lightening. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
