enlighten
verb
en·light·en
in-ˈlī-tᵊn 
en-
enlightened; enlightening
in-ˈlīt-niŋ
-ˈlī-tᵊn-iŋ,
en-
1
a
: to furnish knowledge to : instruct
enlightened us about the problem
b
: to give spiritual insight to
2
archaic
: illuminate
Examples of enlighten in a Sentence
I don't understand what's going on; can someone please enlighten me?
the lecturer at the planetarium enlightened us about the latest astronomical discoveries
Recent Examples on the Web
Fall movie season approaches, and with it the promise of movies that excite, engage, enlighten.
—
Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Reading Proverbs did not manage to enlighten me to the possibility that my parents’ rules were devised in my best interest.
—Meghan O’Gieblyn, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Hopefully, that prepares them to be active and engaged citizens of the democracy that George Washington fought so hard to secure and enlightens them to do something with their lives that will make the world a better place.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 20 Aug. 2025
How ironic that enlightened views of liberation do not extend to the home.
—Lovia Gyarkye, IndieWire, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enlighten
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Reading Proverbs did not manage to enlighten me to the possibility that my parents’ rules were devised in my best interest.
—Meghan O’Gieblyn, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Hopefully, that prepares them to be active and engaged citizens of the democracy that George Washington fought so hard to secure and enlightens them to do something with their lives that will make the world a better place.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 20 Aug. 2025
How ironic that enlightened views of liberation do not extend to the home.
—Lovia Gyarkye, IndieWire, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enlighten
Cite this Entry
“Enlighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enlighten. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
enlighten
verb
en·light·en
in-ˈlīt-ᵊn
enlightened; enlightening
-ˈlīt-niŋ
-ᵊn-iŋ
: to give knowledge or understanding to : instruct
enlightened us about the problem
enlightenment
noun
-ᵊn-mənt
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