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verb

lichten

clear

Definition & meaning

lichten is a German verb with several related meanings:

  1. To thin out or clear something by removing some of it, especially trees or plants.
    Der Förster lichtet den Wald. — “The forester thins out the forest.”

  2. To become clearer or less dense, especially of fog, clouds, or a crowd. It is often used reflexively as sich lichten.
    Der Nebel lichtet sich. — “The fog is lifting.”

  3. To raise an anchor so a ship can leave. This is commonly used in the phrase den Anker lichten.

  4. To dwindle or grow thinner, especially of a group or its numbers.
    Die Reihen lichteten sich. — “The ranks thinned out.”

The verb is also the infinitive form. In some contexts, lichten can be an inflected form of the adjective licht, meaning “sparse” or “thinly spaced.”

Grammar & Word origin

lichten is a regular, weak verb: lichtete (simple past), gelichtet (past participle). It is generally used with a direct object (einen Wald lichten) or reflexively (sich lichten).

It derives from the adjective licht, meaning “sparse” or “not dense.” In this sense, lichten means to make something less dense or to become less dense. The anchor meaning is a specialized nautical use.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms vary by meaning:

  • ausdünnen — “to thin out”; close in meaning, especially for vegetation or a group.
  • aufhellen — “to brighten” or “to clear”; more focused on becoming brighter or clearer.
  • sich auflösen — “to disperse” or “to dissolve”; often used when fog or a crowd disappears.
  • den Anker heben — “to raise the anchor”; a straightforward alternative to the nautical use.

Possible antonyms include:

  • verdichten — “to make denser,” the opposite of thinning out or becoming less dense.
  • sich verdichten — “to grow denser,” the opposite of fog or clouds lifting.
  • verdunkeln — “to darken,” an opposite only when lichten means to brighten or clear.

Common phrases & collocations

  • den Wald lichten — to thin out the forest.
  • den Nebel lichten — to clear the fog.
  • sich lichten — to clear or thin out.
  • den Anker lichten — to weigh anchor.
  • die Reihen lichten sich — the ranks are thinning out.

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Examples

Er will den Nebel lichten.verb

He wants to clear the fog.

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