enlightened

adjective

en·​light·​ened in-ˈlī-tᵊnd 

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

This movie, which anchors Reef’s climactic breakthrough to his enlightened decision to stop googling himself. —David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2026

Created under the umbrella of the Shorefast Foundation, a Canadian charity Cobb cofounded with her brothers, the inn is part of a project to revitalize the island economy through enlightened tourism. —Akash Kapur, Travel + Leisure, 7 Apr. 2026

This need to demonstrate moral superiority vis-à-vis their neighbors necessarily makes much of leftism performative in nature, dedicated to signaling both contempt for deplorables and membership in an enlightened tribe. —Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 23 Mar. 2026

Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, is remembered by Iranians for his enlightened and tolerant rule. —Azadeh Moaveni, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for enlightened

• unenlightened
• brightened
• frightened
• heightened
• lightened
• tightened