What does "lighten" mean?
To make brighter or clearer; to illuminate.
Lighten
/ˈlaɪ.tn̩/ verb
verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To make brighter or clearer; to illuminate.
- Grammar: lighten is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: brighten, abate, aflaxen, aid.
- Useful contrasts: hulking, taxing course load, ballasting.
- Usage evidence: He needs a few jokes to lighten up his talk.
How to use "lighten"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "lighten" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "lighten" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "lighten" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "lighten" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "lighten" is acting as verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "brighten" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "lighten", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To make brighter or clearer; to illuminate. transitive
"to lighten an apartment with lamps or gas; to lighten the streets"
- 2 To alleviate; to reduce the burden of. transitive
"Sorrow can be lightened by being openly brought out."
- 3 To descend; to light.
"Book of Common Prayer O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us."
- 4 alleviate or remove (pressure or stress) or make less oppressive wordnet
- 5 To become brighter or clearer; to brighten. intransitive
Show 12 more definitions
- 6 To make light or lighter in weight. transitive
- 7 become lighter wordnet
- 8 To flash lightning, to give off lightning. archaic, intransitive
"Enter the Conjurer; it lightens and thunders […]"
- 9 To make less serious or more cheerful. transitive
"They looked unto him, were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed."
- 10 make more cheerful through the use of color wordnet
- 11 To emit or disclose in, or as if in, lightning; to flash out, like lightning. transitive
"[…] behold his eye, As bright as is the eagle’s, lightens forth Controlling majesty:"
- 12 To become light or lighter in weight. intransitive
- 13 become more cheerful wordnet
- 14 To illuminate with knowledge. archaic
"O Light which mak’st the Light, which makes the Day, Which setst the Eye without and Mind within, Lighten my spirit with one cleare heavenly ray, Which now to view it selfe doth first begin."
- 15 To become less serious or more cheerful. intransitive
- 16 reduce the weight on; make lighter wordnet
- 17 make more cheerful wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"He needs a few jokes to lighten up his talk."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "lighten"?
Common synonyms include: brighten, abate, aflaxen, aid, allay, alleviate.
How do you use "lighten" in a sentence?
He needs a few jokes to lighten up his talk.
How do you pronounce "lighten"?
Pronounced /ˈlaɪ.tn̩/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English lightnen, equivalent to light + -en.
Etymology 2
From light + -en.