To become less serious, tense, or strict; to relax and have a more positive attitude.
To stop being so serious and start having fun or being nicer.
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
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
To make a colour, room, or image brighter or lighter in shade.
"Adding white to the mix will lighten up the paint colour significantly."
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."
To make something lighter in weight or brightness — the idiomatic leap is from physical lightness to emotional lightness.
To stop being so serious and start having fun or being nicer.
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.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Listen to native speakers using "lighten up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.