lightening: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low-MediumFormal/Literary; Medical/Technical
Quick answer
What does “lightening” mean?
Making something lighter in colour, weight, or burden.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Making something lighter in colour, weight, or burden; becoming brighter; making less heavy or severe.
The act or process of reducing the darkness, weight, or intensity of something. Can refer to physical colour change, emotional relief, or reduction in load. Also a medical term: the sensation a pregnant woman feels when the fetus descends into the pelvis.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling is identical. The verb 'to lighten' is standard in both. The noun 'lightening' is slightly more formal/literary in both varieties.
Connotations
In both, can have a positive connotation of relief or improvement. In medical contexts, the term is standard.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both dialects. The more common verb is 'lighten'.
Grammar
How to Use “lightening” in a Sentence
lightening of [noun]the [noun] is lighteningVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “lightening” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The sky is gradually lightening in the east.
- They are lightening the load on the struggling healthcare system.
American English
- Her hair is lightening from all the time in the sun.
- The new policy is aimed at lightening the tax burden for middle-class families.
adjective
British English
- The lightening effect was achieved with a special bleach.
- She felt a lightening sensation in her abdomen.
American English
- We used a lightening cream to reduce the appearance of dark spots.
- The report noted a lightening trend in consumer sentiment.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to reducing financial burden or workload: 'The lightening of the debt load improved the company's outlook.'
Academic
Used in discussions of tone, colour, or metaphorical weight in literature/philosophy: 'A lightening of the narrative's grim tone occurs in Chapter 4.'
Everyday
Most common in hair care or describing the sky: 'I'm thinking about lightening my hair for summer.' 'We saw a lightening of the sky before dawn.'
Technical
Medical: 'The patient reported lightening, indicating the baby had dropped.' Photography: 'The lightening of the underexposed areas was done in post-production.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “lightening”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “lightening”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “lightening”
- Misspelling as 'lightning' (the weather phenomenon).
- Using it as a verb instead of the more common 'lighten' (e.g., 'He is lightening the box' is correct; 'He is lightening the box' is less common as a continuous form).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Lightning' is the flash of light in the sky during a storm. 'Lightening' is the process of making something lighter in colour, weight, or mood.
It is less common than the verb 'lighten'. It is used in specific contexts like hair colour, describing skies, or formal/literary writing about reducing burdens.
Yes, but it is the present participle/gerund of the verb 'to lighten'. The base form 'lighten' is more frequently used (e.g., 'I will lighten the load').
No. 'Lightning' is pronounced /ˈlaɪt.nɪŋ/ (one syllable: 'lite-ning'). 'Lightening' is pronounced /ˈlaɪt.ən.ɪŋ/ or /ˈlaɪt.nɪŋ/ with a clearer middle syllable: 'lite-en-ing'.
Making something lighter in colour, weight, or burden.
Lightening is usually formal/literary; medical/technical in register.
Lightening: in British English it is pronounced /ˈlaɪt.nɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈlaɪt̬.ən.ɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A lightening of the mood”
- “A lightening of the load”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'lighten-ing' → the ING action of making something more LIKE LIGHT (brighter or less heavy).
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTIONAL/PHYSICAL BURDEN IS WEIGHT ('lightening the burden'), HAPPINESS/RELIEF IS LIGHT ('a lightening of the mood').
Practice
Quiz
In a medical context, 'lightening' refers to: