as in blushing
to develop a rosy facial color (as from excitement or embarrassment)
his face reddened when she flashed him a dazzling smile
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Recent Examples of reddening
His huddles at times resemble a family Sunday supper after the conversation turns to politics – everyone yelling, nobody listening, Izzo’s face reddening and a whiteboard left broken, the innocent victim of all the arguing (though they are rumored to be pre-cut to avoid splintering).
—
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026
Warning signs include yellowing within a week of infestation, purpling or reddening of leaves, stunting despite adequate moisture, weakening root systems and patchy areas of thinning or dead grass.
—Christina Shaw, FOXNews.com, 12 Dec. 2025
Angine desperately returns to the store, again and again, to get her fix from Malaise, her face reddening from blood just below the surface, a canvas of her awakened desire.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2025
The front lawn falls steeply away from the house and on down to the fence, a garden overgrown with reddening watsonias.
—Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
Visible light has been shown to trigger erythema, or skin reddening, in lighter skin.
—Andrea Muraskin, NPR, 23 Aug. 2025
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026
Warning signs include yellowing within a week of infestation, purpling or reddening of leaves, stunting despite adequate moisture, weakening root systems and patchy areas of thinning or dead grass.
—Christina Shaw, FOXNews.com, 12 Dec. 2025
Angine desperately returns to the store, again and again, to get her fix from Malaise, her face reddening from blood just below the surface, a canvas of her awakened desire.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2025
The front lawn falls steeply away from the house and on down to the fence, a garden overgrown with reddening watsonias.
—Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
Visible light has been shown to trigger erythema, or skin reddening, in lighter skin.
—Andrea Muraskin, NPR, 23 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reddening
Verb
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New Jersey forest cherries, bright yellow, blushing red.—
John McPhee,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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These blushing spring radishes add a lovely color and flavor to little gem lettuces.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That water still cannot be used for any purpose beyond toilet flushing, city officials said.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
26 Apr. 2026
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Water line flushing was completed, and water samples citywide continue to be analyzed, officials said.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Depending on the evening, dinner is served outside under the open sky or inside a softly glowing hoop house.—
Susmita Baral,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Apr. 2026
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What's left behind is a glowing core, known as a white dwarf, which is sending out radiation that causes the gas shells to glow.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reddening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reddening. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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