lighten up

Definition

To make (something) or to become less serious and more cheerful or casual; to relax.

Example Sentences

• "I wish he'd lighten up a bit and realize that we were only joking."
• "The mood at work has been tense, so he's looking for ways to lighten it up."
• "Sondheim's sense of life — which is pretty pessimistic (I don't think that anyone ever ends happily ever after in a Sondheim musical) — is brought through without trying to lighten it up."

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