brighten
/ˈbɹaɪtən/
verb
Familiar
1.v.make more cheerful through the use of color
“The paint will brighten the room”
2.v.become clear
“The sky cleared after the storm”
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brighten and brighton are homophones: they are pronounced identically and spelled differently, which is why they are so often swapped. brighten means “make more cheerful through the use of color”. brighton means “a city in East Sussex in southern England that is a popular resort; site of the University of Sussex”.
/ˈbɹaɪtən/
1.v.make more cheerful through the use of color
“The paint will brighten the room”
2.v.become clear
“The sky cleared after the storm”
/ˈbɹaɪtən/
| brighten | brighton | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɹaɪtən/ | /ˈbɹaɪtən/ |
| Said | BRAHY-tuhn | BRAHY-tuhn |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Letters | 8 | 8 |
| Parts of speech | verb | noun |
| Senses | 2 | 1 |
| How common | Familiar | Familiar |
| Synonyms | lighten up, lighten | none recorded |
Full entry for brighten · Full entry for brighton · More comparisons
1.n.a city in East Sussex in southern England that is a popular resort; site of the University of Sussex