brighten
brighten — verb
1. when the weather or sky brightens, it grows lighter as dark clouds begin to brea
when the weather or sky brightens, it grows lighter as dark clouds begin to break.
By noon, the sky brightened and children ran back to the playground.
intransitive: weather becomes sunnier
After breakfast, the weather brightened over Kaohsiung and the sea turned blue.
The morning brightened slowly, but rain still hung over the hills.
Once the wind changed, the gray afternoon brightened within an hour.
- darken
means become less bright as light fades or clouds gather
- cloud over
specifically means become covered with cloud
文法句型
the weather brightens
the sky brightens
用法筆記
Subject is usually weather, sky, morning, or day, and there is no direct object. Distinguish from sense 2, where a room, color, or object becomes brighter in appearance.
2. to give a room, object, or color more light or a livelier look, or to take on th
to give a room, object, or color more light or a livelier look, or to take on that brighter look.
White curtains brightened the narrow bedroom beside the station.
brighten + room or space
A bowl of oranges brightened the kitchen table.
New paint brightened the cafe, especially near the front window.
As the sun moved west, the hallway brightened for a few minutes.
The blue scarf brightened her black coat at once.
- lighten
is broader and may only mean make less dark, without adding color or charm
- illuminate
is more formal and usually stresses supplying actual light
- enhance
means improve appearance in a general way, not specifically by light or color
- freshen
often suggests making something look newer or cleaner
文法句型
brighten a room
brighten something with color
a room brightens in the sun
用法筆記
Object is often a room, wall, photo, corner, or item of clothing. Distinguish from sense 4: this sense is about visual effect, even when the result also feels more pleasant.
常見錯誤
3. to look, sound, or feel more cheerful and hopeful than before.
to look, sound, or feel more cheerful and hopeful than before.
Leila brightened when the nurse said her father could go home.
brighten when + good news
At the word holiday, the twins brightened at once.
Ravi's face brightened as the bus finally reached the village.
Even the old dog brightened after hearing the snack bag.
Mira's voice brightened during the call from Tokyo.
文法句型
someone brightens
someone brightens when ...
someone's face brightens
用法筆記
The subject is the person, face, eyes, or voice that shows the change. Distinguish from sense 4, where something causes that more hopeful feeling in another person or situation.
常見錯誤
4. to make a person, a period of time, or a situation feel more hopeful or pleasant
to make a person, a period of time, or a situation feel more hopeful or pleasant.
The baby's laugh brightened everyone at the long clinic meeting.
brighten + person or group
A short text from Omar brightened Hana's whole morning.
collocation: brighten someone's day or morning
The music brightened the bus ride home after the loss.
Good news from the lab brightened a difficult week for the family.
The teacher's joke brightened the class before the exam.
文法句型
brighten someone's day
brighten a mood
brighten a difficult time
用法筆記
Object is often a person, a group, or a time expression such as day, morning, week, or mood. Distinguish from sense 2, where the result is mainly visual rather than emotional.