# lighten

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈlaɪ.tn̩/ · frequency rank #18,357

## Definitions
1. To make brighter or clearer; to illuminate.
2. To become brighter or clearer; to brighten.
3. To flash lightning, to give off lightning.
4. To emit or disclose in, or as if in, lightning; to flash out, like lightning.
5. To illuminate with knowledge.

## Etymology
From Middle English lightnen, equivalent to light + -en.

## Easily confused with
- **listen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lighten-vs-listen)
- **lights** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lighten-vs-lights)
- **lighter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lighten-vs-lighter)
- **lightly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lighten-vs-lightly)
- **lighting** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lighten-vs-lighting)
- **light** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/light-vs-lighten)
- **lichen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lichen-vs-lighten)
- **lighted** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lighted-vs-lighten)
- **Leighton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leighton-vs-lighten)

## Common misspellings (11)
`ilghten`, `lgihten`, `ligghten`, `lighetn`, `lighhten`, `lightenn`, `lightne`, `lightten`, `ligthen`, `lihgten`, `llighten`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/lighten