brighten up

[/ˈbraɪtn̩ ʌp/]
phrasal verb
animar, iluminar, alegrar
1. to make something brighter or more luminous; to increase light or brightness
The new paint job will brighten up the living room.
A nova pintura vai animar a sala de estar.
2. to make someone happier or more cheerful; to improve someone's mood or spirits
Your visit really brightened up my day.
Sua visita realmente alegrou meu dia.
3. to become brighter or clearer, especially regarding weather or expressions
Her face brightened up when she heard the good news.
Seu rosto se iluminou quando ouviu a boa notícia.
In both American and Brazilian English, 'brighten up' is commonly used metaphorically to describe improving someone's mood or day. In Brazilian Portuguese, 'animar' and 'alegrar' carry similar emotional weight and are frequently used in social contexts to express concern for a friend's wellbeing. The phrase can also refer to literal illumination changes in home decoration.
NYC Slang
perk up, lift your spirits, make things pop
Synonyms / Sinônimos
cheer uplift upilluminateenlivengladdenimprove
Antonyms / Antônimos
darkendimsaddendepressdiscourage

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
animar, alegrar, iluminar
most common usage across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
animar, melhorar o astral
colloquial expression using 'astral' for mood
São Paulo
animar, iluminar, dar brilho
often used literally for home decoration
Portugal
iluminar, alegrar, animar
similar usage but with slightly different frequency

Related Words

brightnesscheerfulluminousmoodspiritsuplift

Related Idioms & Phrases

brighten up someone's day
brighten up the place
things are brightening up
face brightens up
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