Meaning trap
brighten up
make a place cheerful
To make a room or place look lighter, more colourful and more cheerful. Said of the weather, it means to get sunnier.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
To make a room or place look lighter, more colourful and more cheerful. Said of the weather, it means to get sunnier.
Another meaning of 'brighten up' is 'become brighter or happier'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
A bunch of flowers can really brighten up a room.
Adding some colourful posters can brighten up a classroom and make it a more inviting place to learn.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: The weather is brighter up now.
Say: The weather is brightening up now.
'Brighten up' is a verb — use 'is brightening up' for weather that is clearing.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Brighten up' is the everyday verb for making a place or person more cheerful; the paraphrase is wordy.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
brighten up + place/person
- the room
- my day
- the place
- things
Don't confuse it
Related
Other meanings and phrases to compare.
- brighten up (become or make happier) — Another meaning of 'brighten up' is 'become brighter or happier'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.