# lighten

/ˈɫaɪtən/ (US) · /lˈaɪtən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/lighten
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to make less heavy

verb · CEFR B1

to make something weigh less or feel easier to carry.

For teachers: to reduce the weight of a physical load or alleviate a metaphorical burden.

- We need to lighten our bags before we start the long hike up the mountain.
- The airline requested that passengers lighten their carry-on luggage to ensure the overhead bins could accommodate everyone's belongings safely.

### 2. to make brighter

verb · CEFR B1

to make a colour or a room look brighter or more pale.

For teachers: to increase the luminosity of a space or to reduce the saturation and darkness of a colour.

- Adding a bit of white paint will lighten the blue on the walls.
- The morning sun began to lighten the horizon, gradually revealing the jagged outlines of the distant coastal cliffs.

### 3. to become more cheerful

verb · CEFR B2

to make a situation or a person feel less serious or more happy.

For teachers: to mitigate the gravity of a situation or to improve a person's mood.

- He told a funny joke to lighten the mood during the stressful meeting.
- The director attempted to lighten the tone of the play by introducing several moments of physical comedy in the second act.

### 4. to flash lightning

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

to give off flashes of lightning during a storm.

For teachers: to emit flashes of lightning; used intransitively to describe atmospheric activity.

- The sky began to lighten and thunder rolled across the valley.
- As the tempest reached its peak, the heavens would lighten with such frequency that the landscape remained visible in a strobe-like glare.

## Examples

- You should lighten your suitcase before the flight.
- The manager told a joke at the start of the meeting to lighten the atmosphere.
- The architect used large glass panels to lighten the interior of the building, transforming a previously gloomy space into a bright and welcoming environment.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.