redden

verb

red·​den ˈre-dᵊn How to pronounce redden (audio)
reddened; reddening ˈred-niŋ How to pronounce redden (audio)
ˈre-dᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

: to make red or reddish

intransitive verb

: to become red
especially : blush

Examples of redden in a Sentence

First-degree burns redden the skin. Her face reddened when her name was announced.
Recent Examples on the Web In the days afterward, when telescopes on the ground again saw the signature reddening of a kilonova, Levan quickly fired off an emergency request for an almost real-time JWST observation of the event. Quanta Magazine, 13 Dec. 2023 Saban said, clicking his teeth and looking away with reddening eyes. Tyler R. Tynes, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2024 And in the following days, astronomers saw the telltale reddening of a kilonova in the same spot as the gamma-ray burst. Quanta Magazine, 13 Dec. 2023 Every year, cooling breezes, migrating warblers and reddening sycamore trees signal the coming of autumn in San Diego. Faith Barton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Nov. 2023 The site of contact will likely redden and swell like a bee sting. Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2023 In Fischl’s work, the thinness of the hair becomes apparent, and Trump’s orange glow and reddened eyes transform into something like drag makeup. Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2023 Rouge, also known as blush, is a cosmetic product which can be used to redden your cheeks. India Espy-Jones, Essence, 25 Aug. 2023 Overnight, a massive wall of flames raced through forests toward Alexandroupolis, prompting authorities to evacuate eight more villages and the city’s hospital as flames reddened the sky. Costas Kantouris and Elena Becatoros, Anchorage Daily News, 22 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'redden.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of redden was in 1552

Dictionary Entries Near redden

Cite this Entry

“Redden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/redden. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

redden

verb
red·​den ˈred-ᵊn How to pronounce redden (audio)
reddened; reddening ˈred-niŋ How to pronounce redden (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ
: to make or become red
especially : blush entry 1 sense 1

More from Merriam-Webster on redden

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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