Brighten vs. Lighten — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 27, 2024
Brighten focuses on enhancing vibrancy or cheerfulness, e.g., brightening a room with colorful decor; lighten generally means reducing weight or intensity, e.g., lightening a dark photo.
Difference Between Brighten and Lighten
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Brighten often refers to adding vibrancy or cheerfulness, as in brightening someone's day with good news, whereas lighten usually pertains to reducing weight, burden, or intensity, such as lightening the load of a backpack. Both terms imply making something less heavy, but brighten typically has a more emotional or visual impact.
When discussing color adjustments in images, to brighten means to make the colors more vivid or increase overall exposure, enhancing visual appeal, whereas to lighten specifically means to increase the brightness of darker areas, often preserving detail and reducing shadow. This subtle distinction focuses on the end visual effect each term aims to achieve.
In emotional contexts, brightening refers to making situations or moods more cheerful or hopeful, as in a smile that brightens a room, whereas lightening might involve alleviating stress or lessening worries, making the mood less heavy. These usages highlight how both terms are used metaphorically to affect mood but in slightly different ways.
In terms of physical spaces, brightening a room could involve using brighter colors or adding more light sources, thereby enhancing the space’s overall aesthetic and energy. On the other hand, lightening a room often refers to decluttering or using lighter shades in decor to make the space feel less cramped and more airy, focusing on spatial perception.
In literature or speech, brightening can denote the use of vivid or lively language to engage the audience, while lightening could involve introducing humor or levity to make the content less serious or easier to digest. This usage demonstrates how each term can modify the tone or weight of communication.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Make visually more vibrant or emotionally uplifting.
Reduce weight, intensity, or severity.
Common Usage
Enhancing colors or moods.
Making something less heavy or serious.
Context
Visual, emotional.
Physical, emotional.
Effect
Adds vibrancy or cheerfulness.
Reduces burden or darkness.
Outcome
Enhanced aesthetic or emotional appeal.
Easier handling or lighter mood.
Compare with Definitions
Brighten
Enhances vibrancy or cheerfulness.
New paint can brighten any old room.
Lighten
To make lighter in weight.
Using lighter materials can lighten the backpack.
Brighten
Increases brightness or vividness, especially in colors.
Adjusting the contrast can brighten the image.
Lighten
Introduces levity or humor.
His jokes helped lighten the tense meeting.
Brighten
Infuses energy or excitement.
The lively music brightened the atmosphere.
Lighten
Makes less dense or heavy.
Whipping can lighten the texture of batter.
Brighten
Makes things appear more lively or hopeful.
A surprise visit brightened her day.
Lighten
Reduces the severity or intensity.
A softer color palette can lighten the mood of a room.
Brighten
To illuminate or make brighter.
Adding lamps can brighten the darkest corners of the house.
Lighten
Eases burdens or responsibilities.
Delegating tasks can lighten your workload.
Brighten
Brighten is a pop rock band from Chico, California, consisting of brothers Justin (guitar, lead vocals) and Jimmy (drums) Richards, and Alex Draper (bass, backing vocals). The band has recently been on tour with This Providence, Cute Is What We Aim For, Eisley, and All Time Low.
Lighten
To make light or lighter; illuminate or brighten.
Brighten
To make or become bright or brighter.
Lighten
To make (a color) lighter.
Brighten
(transitive) To make bright or brighter in color.
We brightened the room with a new coat of paint.
Lighten
(Archaic) To enlighten.
Brighten
(transitive) To make illustrious, or more distinguished; to add luster or splendor to
Lighten
To become lighter; brighten.
Brighten
To make more cheerful and pleasant; to enliven
To brighten one's prospects;
Having Mark around the place really brightens things up.
Lighten
To be luminous; shine.
Brighten
(intransitive) To grow bright, or more bright in color; to clear up
The sun starts to brighten around this time of the year.
The sky brightened as the storm moved on.
Lighten
To give off flashes of lightning.
Brighten
(intransitive) To become brighter or more cheerful in mood
She brightened when I changed the subject.
Lighten
To make less heavy
I lightened my backpack by removing a large textbook.
Brighten
To make bright or brighter; to make to shine; to increase the luster of; to give a brighter hue to.
Lighten
To lessen the severity or oppressiveness of
Lighten the workload.
Brighten
To make illustrious, or more distinguished; to add luster or splendor to.
The present queen would brighten her character, if she would exert her authority to instill virtues into her people.
Lighten
To make less worried or more cheerful
Lighten the mood.
Brighten
To improve or relieve by dispelling gloom or removing that which obscures and darkens; to shed light upon; to make cheerful; as, to brighten one's prospects.
An ecstasy, which mothers only feel,Plays round my heart and brightens all my sorrow.
Lighten
To become less in weight.
Brighten
To make acute or witty; to enliven.
Lighten
To become less oppressive, troublesome, or severe.
Brighten
To grow bright, or more bright; to become less dark or gloomy; to clear up; to become bright or cheerful.
And night shall brighten into day.
And, all his prospects brightening to the last,His heaven commences ere world be past.
Lighten
To become cheerful
The mood lightened when the party started.
Brighten
Make lighter or brighter;
The paint will brighten the room
Lighten
(transitive) To make brighter or clearer; to illuminate.
To lighten an apartment with lamps or gas; to lighten the streets
Brighten
Become clear;
The sky cleared after the storm
Lighten
(intransitive) To become brighter or clearer; to brighten.
Brighten
Become brighter;
The sky brightened around noon
Her face brightened when she heard the good news
Lighten
To flash lightning, to give off lightning.
Brighten
Become brighter;
The sky brightened
Lighten
(transitive) To emit or disclose in, or as if in, lightning; to flash out, like lightning.
Lighten
To illuminate with knowledge; to enlighten.
Lighten
(transitive) To alleviate; to reduce the burden of.
Sorrow can be lightened by being openly brought out.
Lighten
(transitive) To make light or lighter in weight.
Lighten
(transitive) To make less serious or more cheerful.
Lighten
(intransitive) To become light or lighter in weight.
Lighten
(intransitive) To become less serious or more cheerful.
Lighten
To descend; to light.
Lighten
To descend; to light.
O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us.
Lighten
To burst forth or dart, as lightning; to shine with, or like, lightning; to display a flash or flashes of lightning; to flash.
This dreadful night,That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roarsAs doth the lion.
Lighten
To grow lighter; to become less dark or lowering; to brighten; to clear, as the sky.
Lighten
To make light or clear; to light; to illuminate; as, to lighten an apartment with lamps or gas; to lighten the streets.
A key of fire ran all along the shore,And lightened all the river with a blaze.
Lighten
To illuminate with knowledge; to enlighten.
Lighten my spirit with one clear heavenly ray.
Lighten
To emit or disclose in, or as in, lightning; to flash out, like lightning.
His eye . . . lightens forthControlling majesty.
Lighten
To free from trouble and fill with joy.
They looked unto him, and were lightened.
Lighten
To make lighter, or less heavy; to reduce in weight; to relieve of part of a load or burden; as, to lighten a ship by unloading; to lighten a load or burden.
Lighten
To make less burdensome or afflictive; to alleviate; as, to lighten the cares of life or the burden of grief.
Lighten
To cheer; to exhilarate.
Lightens my humor with his merry jests.
Lighten
Make more cheerful
Lighten
Make more cheerful
Lighten
Make lighter or brighter;
The paint will brighten the room
Lighten
Become brighter;
The sky brightened
Lighten
Become lighter;
The room lightened up
Common Curiosities
What does lighten mean in cooking?
In cooking, lighten usually refers to making a mixture less dense, often by incorporating air.
What does it mean to brighten a room?
To make a room more vibrant either through additional lighting or more colorful decorations.
Can brighten be used in emotional contexts?
Yes, brighten can describe making moods or situations more cheerful or hopeful.
Is it correct to use brighten about someone’s mood?
Yes, you can use brighten to describe improving or uplifting someone's mood.
How does lighten differ from brighten in photography?
Lighten involves increasing the brightness of shadows, whereas brighten refers to increasing the overall luminosity and color saturation.
Can lighten have a physical impact on objects?
Yes, lighten can refer to reducing the physical weight or density of objects.
How do you use brighten in a sentence about improving someone’s day?
"Receiving her thoughtful gift really brightened my day."
How can I brighten a dark video?
Increase the exposure or adjust the brightness settings to enhance the overall vibrancy of the video.
What’s the difference between brightening and lightening a digital image?
Brightening involves enhancing overall exposure and color vibrancy, while lightening specifically targets increasing the light levels in darker areas.
What does it mean to lighten the mood of a conversation?
It means to make the conversation less serious or stressful, often by introducing humor.
Can the term lighten be used figuratively?
Yes, it can be used figuratively to describe making burdens or responsibilities feel less heavy.
What are practical ways to lighten a dark room?
Using lighter colors for walls, decluttering, and incorporating more natural or artificial light sources can effectively lighten a dark room.
How does brighten impact the atmosphere of an event?
Brightening an event often involves decorative or thematic elements that make the atmosphere more vibrant and energetic.
How can adding a mirror brighten a room?
A mirror can brighten a room by reflecting light and making the space appear more illuminated and spacious.
What does it mean to lighten your hair?
It refers to using hair treatments to achieve a lighter shade or color of hair.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
