lightening
Making less heavy
Lightening is the process of making something lighter—in weight, color, or mood.
A pregnant woman experiences lightening when the baby drops lower in the pelvis before birth.
Hair lightening uses bleach or sun exposure.
The storm passed, and we felt a lightening of spirits.
Not to be confused with lightning, the electrical discharge during storms.
Reduction of intensity
- mitigationReduction of severity
- lesseningBecoming reduced in degree
- reductionMaking something smaller
- relievingReducing discomfort or strain
softening · diminishing · moderating · amelioration · abatement · relaxation · loosening · slackening
Making less or smaller
- lesseningBecoming reduced in degree
- unburdeningRelieving oneself of weight
- offloadingTransferring goods elsewhere
- sheddingLosing outer covering
trimming · decreasing · diminishing · unloading · stripping · paring · slimming · decluttering
Emotionally encouraging
- cheeringVocal encouragement given
- brighteningIncreasing in light
- buoyingKeeping from sinking
- relievingReducing discomfort or strain
lifting · easing · elevating · gladdening · heartening · spirits · unburdening · refreshing
Chemical color removal
- fadingGradual loss of intensity
- whiteningMaking something lighter
- blanchingBriefly boiling then cooling
- palingStakes forming a boundary
tinting · highlighting · streaking · frosting · decolorizing · washing out · sun-bleached · lightener
Intrinsic brightness of source
- radianceGlowing luminous quality
- glowSteady, soft light
- brillianceExceptional intelligence or luster
- gleamFaint reflected light
shimmer · sparkle · glisten · twinkle · luster · shine · flash · flare
Electric sky discharge with boom
- thunderStorm's acoustic aftermath
- thunderclapExplosive atmospheric sound
- thunderheadTall storm-producing cloud
- electrical dischargeSudden flow through gap
flash · bolt · strike · cumulonimbus · static electricity · storm · tempest · atmosphere
alleviation
Reduction of intensity
- mitigationReduction of severity
- lesseningBecoming reduced in degree
- reductionMaking something smaller
relieving · softening · diminishing · moderating · amelioration · abatement · relaxation · loosening · slackening · decompression
reducing
Making less or smaller
- lesseningBecoming reduced in degree
- unburdeningRelieving oneself of weight
- offloadingTransferring goods elsewhere
shedding · trimming · decreasing · diminishing · unloading · stripping · paring · slimming · decluttering · streamlining
uplifting
Emotionally encouraging
- cheeringVocal encouragement given
- brighteningIncreasing in light
- buoyingKeeping from sinking
relieving · lifting · easing · elevating · gladdening · heartening · spirits · unburdening · refreshing · reviving
bleaching
Chemical color removal
- fadingGradual loss of intensity
- whiteningMaking something lighter
- blanchingBriefly boiling then cooling
paling · tinting · highlighting · streaking · frosting · decolorizing · washing out · sun-bleached · lightener · peroxide
luminosity
Intrinsic brightness of source
- radianceGlowing luminous quality
- glowSteady, soft light
- brillianceExceptional intelligence or luster
gleam · shimmer · sparkle · glisten · twinkle · luster · shine · flash · flare · illumination
thunderbolt
Electric sky discharge with boom
- thunderStorm's acoustic aftermath
- thunderclapExplosive atmospheric sound
- thunderheadTall storm-producing cloud
electrical discharge · flash · bolt · strike · cumulonimbus · static electricity · storm · tempest · atmosphere · charge
- color changedyeing, tinting, fading, bleaching, darkening
- bleachingbleach, bleaching, whitening, oxygen bleach, hydrogen peroxide
- pregnancypregnancy, pregnant, prenatal care, due date, weeks
- discolorationdiscoloration, stain, stains, staining, spots
- reducingshrinking, lessening, diminishing, decreasing, cutting back
- reliefrelief, phew, whew, ease, easing
lighteningdarkening
Growing less bright
dimming · blackening · shadowing · obscuring · eclipsing
lighteningburdening
Imposing a load
loading · weighing down · encumbering · overburdening · weighting
lighteningburdening
Imposing a load
aggravating · upsetting · distressing · troubling · oppressing
- lightening upBecoming less grave
- skin lighteningReducing melanin in dermis
light, lighten, lightning, lighter, lights, lightweight, lightness, lightens, lightened