lighten up
Ease your mood
Lighten up is an imperative telling someone to stop being so serious, tense, or easily offended: Lighten up, it was just a joke.
The phrase implies the person is taking something too heavily—their mood needs to become lighter.
It can sound dismissive when directed at someone with legitimate concerns.
Become less tense
- chillCold sensation or relaxation
- loosen upBecome less tense
- unwindRelease accumulated tension
- ease upBecome less intense
calm down · cheer up · brighten up · de-stress · mellow out · take it easy · don't worry · smile
Become less intense
- back offStop pressing someone
- go easyBe gentle or lenient
- lay offTerminate employment temporarily
- let upDecrease in force
cut some slack · soften · relent · be gentle · don't sweat it · proportion
Humorous statement seeking laughter
- laughExpress amusement vocally
- banterPlayful, teasing exchange
- teaseMock playfully
- kid aroundEngage in playful mischief
jest · quip · have a laugh · crack a smile · take a joke · goof around · clown around · horsing around
Increase luminosity or cheer
- illuminateSupply with radiance
- daylightSun's natural glow
- glowSteady, soft light
- radiateSend forth rays
sunlight · lamplight · window light · natural light · warm lighting
Remove a weight from
- declutterRemove unnecessary items
- offloadTransfer elsewhere to lighten
- streamlineRemove unnecessary elements
- simplifyMake less complex
pare down · minimize · travel light · trim down · downsize · unburdened
relax
Become less tense
ease up · calm down · cheer up · brighten up · de-stress · mellow out · take it easy · don't worry · smile · laugh
ease off
Become less intense
let up · cut some slack · soften · relent · be gentle · don't sweat it · proportion
joke
Humorous statement seeking laughter
kid around · jest · quip · have a laugh · crack a smile · take a joke · goof around · clown around · horsing around · levity
brighten
Increase luminosity or cheer
- illuminateSupply with radiance
- daylightSun's natural glow
- glowSteady, soft light
radiate · sunlight · lamplight · window light · natural light · warm lighting
unburden
Remove a weight from
- declutterRemove unnecessary items
- offloadTransfer elsewhere to lighten
- streamlineRemove unnecessary elements
simplify · pare down · minimize · travel light · trim down · downsize · unburdened
- calming downcalmed, relaxed, chilled, settled, mellowed
- calming phrasesstay calm, calm down, relax, keep your cool, take it easy
- commandsgo, stop, wait, come, run
- have a heartplease, mercy, pity, have mercy, show mercy
- slangslang, jargon, lingo, argot, cant
- relaxrelax, chill, unwind, calm down, cool down
lighten upget serious
sober up · buckle down · knuckle down · get down to business · focus
lighten upsulk
Brood in silence
brood · stew · take offense · stress out · freak out
lighten uptense up
Become rigid from stress
get serious · brood · sulk · stress out · stiffen up
lightly, lighten, lighter, lightness, enlighten, enlightened, lightest, lightens, lightened