enlightening

adjective

en·​light·​en·​ing in-ˈlīt-niŋ 

-ˈlī-tᵊn-iŋ, 

en-

: providing or tending to provide knowledge, understanding, or insight

a very enlightening discussion

… he takes readers on enlightening excursions through the nature of Judaism, Hegelian philosophy, wherever his curiosity heads.

—George Johnson

enlighteningly adverb

Synonyms of enlightening

• instructive
• informative
• educational
• educative
• instructional
• informational
• illuminating

Examples of enlightening in a Sentence

an enlightening pamphlet about the major changes that consumers can expect from their cable and Internet service providers

Recent Examples on the Web

Expect that to be better choreographed but no more enlightening. —Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 2 May 2026

All of that might sound a little dense, but McKenzie’s fast and informative account of his deep dive into a blurry subject turns out to be one of the most entertaining, and yes, enlightening documentaries of the year. —Randy Myers, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026

This series is enlightening for Brown, Dolan and the Knicks front office responsible for firing Tom Thibodeau and settling on his replacement. —Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026

This makes the book enlightening but ultimately limited in its approach to understanding the pathologies of the present. —Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1574, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for enlightening

• brightening
• frightening
• heightening
• lightening
• tightening
• whitening