Lighten vs. Enlighten — What's the Difference?

To make light or lighter; illuminate or brighten.

To give spiritual or intellectual insight to

To make (a color) lighter.

To give information to; inform or instruct.

(Archaic) To enlighten.

(transitive) To supply with light.

To become lighter; brighten.

To make something clear to (someone); to give knowledge or understanding to.

To be luminous; shine.

To supply with light; to illuminate; as, the sun enlightens the earth.

To give off flashes of lightning.

To make clear to the intellect or conscience; to shed the light of truth and knowledge upon; to furnish with increase of knowledge; to instruct; as, to enlighten the mind or understanding.

To make less heavy

Make understand;

To lessen the severity or oppressiveness of

Give spiritual insight to; in religion

To make less worried or more cheerful

Make free from confusion or ambiguity; make clear;

To become less in weight.

To become less oppressive, troublesome, or severe.

To become cheerful

(transitive) To make brighter or clearer; to illuminate.

(intransitive) To become brighter or clearer; to brighten.

To flash lightning, to give off lightning.

(transitive) To emit or disclose in, or as if in, lightning; to flash out, like lightning.

To illuminate with knowledge; to enlighten.

(transitive) To alleviate; to reduce the burden of.

(transitive) To make light or lighter in weight.

(transitive) To make less serious or more cheerful.

(intransitive) To become light or lighter in weight.

(intransitive) To become less serious or more cheerful.

To descend; to light.

To descend; to light.

To burst forth or dart, as lightning; to shine with, or like, lightning; to display a flash or flashes of lightning; to flash.

To grow lighter; to become less dark or lowering; to brighten; to clear, as the sky.

To make light or clear; to light; to illuminate; as, to lighten an apartment with lamps or gas; to lighten the streets.

To illuminate with knowledge; to enlighten.

To emit or disclose in, or as in, lightning; to flash out, like lightning.

To free from trouble and fill with joy.

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.

To make less burdensome or afflictive; to alleviate; as, to lighten the cares of life or the burden of grief.

To cheer; to exhilarate.

Make more cheerful

Make more cheerful

Make lighter or brighter;

Become brighter;

Become lighter;