lights, lit, lighting

to light up
phrasal verb

To illuminate or make something brighter
  • 1The room lit up when she turned on the lamp.
  • 2The street lights up at night.
To light up means to make something brighter by turning on a light or lighting a candle. It is the action of adding light to a dark area. For example, when you turn on a lamp in a room, you are lighting up the room.
Card
Remember that "light up" can also be used figuratively to describe someone's face or eyes brightening with happiness or excitement. So, it can refer to both physical and emotional brightness.
in a store
Shining a Light on the Display
Lisa
Wow, these pieces are stunning, but it's hard to see the details.
Stephanie
Let me light up the display for you.
Lisa
Oh, that's much better! The diamonds really sparkle now.
Stephanie
I'm glad you can see them clearly. They truly are beautiful.
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Similar to "to light up":
  • 1illuminate
  • 2brighten