1
as in to educate
to provide (someone) with moral or spiritual understanding
a favorite line of an Eastern Church hymn reads, "through fast-closed doors Thou camest Thy Disciples to illume"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to illumine
to supply with light
during the vigil service the church's Gothic interior was illumed by the light of hundreds of tapers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illume
Verb
-
SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
27 Jan. 2026 -
The talking heads educated the viewers about the basics of climbing, all while host Elle Duncan repeatedly reminded us that Honnold could die at any moment.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
These fruits are tiny stars, planets in arm’s reach, little moons reddened by desire and cunning, the sun, at each step, illumines the petals of the dogwood flowers, their bright yellow is dimmed by no leaf, on their still-bare branches the first fissure in winter opens up by magic.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2025
-
Rev 21:10), an ark of salvation sailing through the waters of history and a beacon that illumines the dark nights of this world.—
Daniel Burke,
NPR,
9 May 2025
Verb
-
The dual exhibition at the California Surf Museum and Oceanside Museum of Art explores the influence of surfing on art inspired by the beach lifestyle.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Religion does hold that unwavering power, able to inspire and heal while making others wary and uncomfortable.—
Randy McMullen,
Mercury News,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights are not illuminated, reducing the risk of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Fireworks illuminated the pre-dawn sky, and then, characters waved us by.—
Kimberly Zapata,
Parents,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The streets are begrimed by factory smoke, fecund with horse dung and lit by lanterns.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
No one even lives here, said Chuky, trying to light a cigarette but foiled by a laugh.—
Jonathan Miles,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Illume.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illume. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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