brighten up

/ˈbɹaɪtən ʌp/US/ˈbɹaɪ̯ʔn̩ ʌp/

verb

To become brighter

“Her kindness brightened up my day.”

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Meanings

verbbrighten up (third-person singular simple present brightens up, present participle brightening up, simple past and past participle brightened up)

present singular third person brightens up · participle present brightening up · participle past brightened up · past brightened up

  1. intransitiveTo become brighter
  2. transitiveTo make cheerful.

    Her kindness brightened up my day.

    1 more example

    You can brighten up a room by hanging new wallpaper.

  3. intransitiveTo become more attractive.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
jazz up

Translations

Estonian selginema
  • selginemato become brighter
French éclaircir
  • éclaircirto become brighter
German aufhellen, aufklaren
  • aufhellento become brighter
  • aufklarento become brighter
  • aufheiternto become brighter
  • aufhellento make cheerful
  • aufheiternto make cheerful
Hungarian felcsillan
  • felcsillanto become brighter
Japanese 輝く
  • 輝く (kagayaku)to become brighter
Cite this entry
APA

brighten up. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/brighten%20up

MLA

“brighten up.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/brighten%20up. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “brighten up,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/brighten%20up.

Source: brighten up on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.