Brighten Meaning
/ˈbɹaɪtən/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo make bright or brighter in color.
verbTo make illustrious, or more distinguished; to add luster or splendor to
Sentence Examples
White paint will brighten the room.
The flowers will brighten up the table.
Brighten up your room with some colourful cushion covers.
CEFR Practice Quiz
We can ____ the room by adding a lamp near the window.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
We painted the walls white to ____ up the small and dark kitchen.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree English bright English -en English brighten From bright + -en.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The preſent Queen is a Prince of as many and great Virtues as ever filled a Throne: How would it brighten Her Character to the preſent and after Ages, if She would exert Her utmoſt Authority to inſtill ſome Share of thoſe Virtues into Her People, which they are too degenerate to learn only from Her Example."
— 1709, [Jonathan Swift], A Project for the Advancement of Religion, and the Reformation of Manners. […], London: […] Benj[amin] Tooke, […], →OCLC, pages 58–59:
"An Ecstasie, which Mothers only feel, / Plays round my heart and brightens up my sorrow."
— 1712, Ambrose Philips, The Distrest Mother:
"Chances for the measure's success brightened considerably […] with the elimination of the term "sexual orientation" […] The new term, "sexual status," has caused several former opponents of the bill […] to change their votes."
— 1979 April 14, “Conn. Senate Votes Yes on SB 705”, in Gay Community News, page 1:
"Then his sallow face brightened, for the hall had been carefully furnished, and was very clean. ¶ There was a neat hat-and-umbrella stand, and the stranger's weary feet fell soft on a good, serviceable dark-red drugget, which matched in colour the flock-paper on the walls."
— 1913, Mrs. [Marie] Belloc Lowndes, chapter II, in The Lodger, London: Methuen, →OCLC; republished in Novels of Mystery: The Lodger; The Story of Ivy; What Really Happened, New York, N.Y.: Longmans, Green and Co., […], [1933], →OCLC, page 0091:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
We can ____ the room by adding a lamp near the window.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
We painted the walls white to ____ up the small and dark kitchen.