Lighten Meaning
/ˈlaɪ.tn̩/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo make brighter or clearer; to illuminate.
verbTo become brighter or clearer; to brighten.
Sentence Examples
He needs a few jokes to lighten up his talk.
It was just a joke. Lighten up!
CEFR Practice Quiz
She added water to the paint to ____ its color and make it softer.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Adding some white paint to the mix will help to ____ the color of the walls and make the room look larger.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English lightnen, equivalent to light + -en.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"A Key of fire ran all along the shore,
And lighten’d all the river with the blaze:"
— 1667, John Dryden, Annus Mirabilis, London: Henry Herringman, stanza 231, p. 59:
"Enter the Conjurer; it lightens and thunders […]"
— c. 1590 (date written), G[eorge] P[eele], The Old Wiues Tale. […], London: […] Iohn Danter, for Raph Hancocke, and Iohn Hardie, […], published 1595, →OCLC, [line 500]:
"[…] this dreadful night,
That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars
As doth the lion."
— 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals):
"While we were in the Twins it began to thunder and lighten and pour with rain."
— 1986, Helen Garner, Yellow Notebook: Diaries 1978-1987, Text Publishing, published 2022, page 182:
"[…] behold his eye,
As bright as is the eagle’s, lightens forth
Controlling majesty:"
— 1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene 3]:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She added water to the paint to ____ its color and make it softer.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Adding some white paint to the mix will help to ____ the color of the walls and make the room look larger.