lighten synonyms

lighten

v.

  1. To make lighter

    unburden, disburden, make lighter, reduce the load of, lessen the weight of, uplift, buoy up, mitigate, levitate, alleviate, make less burdensome, disencumber, take off a load, remove, take from, pour out, throw overboard, jettison, reduce, cut down, put off, facilitate, upraise, make buoyant, take off weight, eradicate, shift, change; see also decrease 1, empty 2, unload.

    Antonyms load*, burden*, overload. *

  2. To ease

    ease, comfort, cheer, gladden; see comfort, relieve 2. See syn. study at relieve.

Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.