enlightened

adjective

en·​light·​ened in-ˈlī-tᵊnd How to pronounce enlightened (audio)
en-
1
: freed from ignorance and misinformation
an enlightened people
an enlightened time
2
: based on full comprehension of the problems involved
issued an enlightened ruling

Examples of enlightened in a Sentence

an enlightened approach to prison reform
Recent Examples on the Web These enlightened and classically republican ideals, values and standards came to circumscribe and control their behavior. Gordon S. Wood, Washington Post, 2 July 2024 These ambitions will be hard to accomplish without enlightened leadership and a healthy dose of imagination. Matthias Matthijs, Foreign Affairs, 11 June 2024 Even an enlightened and coordinated macroeconomic policy response cannot sell products that haven’t been made or services that were never offered. Carmen Reinhart, Foreign Affairs, 6 Aug. 2020 There’s always a visual dialogue between carnal desire and enlightened thinking. Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for enlightened 

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

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of enlightened was in 1578

Dictionary Entries Near enlightened

Cite this Entry

“Enlightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enlightened. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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