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lighten up

B1 informal inseparable intransitive
In simple words

To stop being so serious and start having fun or being nicer.

Literal meaning: To make something lighter in weight or brightness — the idiomatic leap is from physical lightness to emotional lightness.

Meanings

1 B1 idiomatic informal

To become less serious, worried, or tense; to relax and stop taking things so hard.

"Come on, lighten up — it's just a game, not the end of the world."

"Lighten up, Francis."

— Stripes (1981 film), Sergeant Hulka to Private Francis Soyer
Grammar: inseparable
2 B1 neutral

To make a colour, room, or image brighter or lighter in shade.

"Adding white to the mix will lighten up the paint colour significantly."

Grammar: separable
3 B1 idiomatic informal

To make a situation, mood, or atmosphere less heavy or depressing.

"A few jokes from the host helped lighten up the tense atmosphere in the room."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

Often used as a direct command: 'Lighten up!' Can sound dismissive if used carelessly. Widely used in American English. Also used literally to mean making something physically less heavy or making a colour lighter.

Commonly used with

mood atmosphere tone attitude situation colour

Forms

Base
lighten up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
lightens up
he/she/it
Past simple
lightened up
yesterday
Past participle
lightened up
have + pp
-ing form
lightening up
continuous

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Synonyms

relax loosen up chill out ease up let go unwind

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