edifying

adjective

ed·​i·​fy·​ing ˈe-də-ˌfī-iŋ How to pronounce edifying (audio)
: instructive or informative in a way that improves the mind or character
an edifying discussion
Much of Mr. Kernan's scholarship is impressive, and many of his thoughts on the history of language and literature are quite edifying.Joe Queenan
edifyingly adverb

Examples of edifying in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This may have been a low point, but not even the more edifying moments of the discussion shed much light on the essential conflict between Brustein’s commitment to integration and Wilson’s appeal for separatism. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2023 But the fact that the two situations are being compared does not make the comparison very edifying. Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 17 Jan. 2023 For all its limitations, that work felt full and rich and edifying, and real. Tracy Kidder, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2023 Selecting an architect is, or should be, an edifying and enjoyable project. Dallas News, 23 Jan. 2022 Despite the pitfalls, some edifying points are delivered well in the special — namely, in establishing that Janet always saw her older brother Michael as her competition, despite being frequently positioned against Madonna’s reign. Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 1 Feb. 2022 May our conversation be joyful, edifying and encouraging. Blair Donovan, Country Living, 18 Oct. 2022 Without asking you to comment on ACS specifically, in your opinion, can anything positive or edifying ever come from a true-crime series that is made without the family's involvement? Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 18 Oct. 2022 Recent years have seen a notable rise in the retelling and memorializing of the more positive and edifying human qualities that were also part of a searingly traumatic time, say postcolonial historians and experts in Partition. Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Aug. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'edifying.' 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

1526, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of edifying was in 1526

Dictionary Entries Near edifying

Cite this Entry

“Edifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/edifying. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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