lighten

Verb

• alleviate or remove (pressure or stress) or make less oppressive
  • relieve the pressure and the stress
    
  • lighten the burden of caring for her elderly parents
    

• become lighter
  • The room lightened up
    

• make lighter or brighter
  • The paint will brighten the room
    

• become more cheerful
  • after a glass of wine, he lightened up a bit
    

• reduce the weight on; make lighter
  • she lightened the load on the tired donkey
    

• make more cheerful
  • the conversation lightened me up a bit
    

Related words

• Synonyms: 
  relieve , lighten up , brighten , buoy up
• Antonyms: 
  darken , weigh down , weigh on