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
George Johnson
enlighteningly
adverb
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
The offense is not the integrity of the GDP number but that there’s a better, more comprehensive, more enlightening diagnostic tool for measuring the true health of the economy.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Becoming a new mom has been enlightening, occasionally chaotic, but always rewarding.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025
For more recent history, the Ta’ Kola and Xewkija windmills are open to the public and offer an enlightening insight into a simpler time.
—AFAR Media, 28 Aug. 2025
No other piece of music this year so eloquently captured fin de siècle wariness, the gnawing sense that a new, scary, and potentially enlightening world may be only two years away.
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enlightening
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Becoming a new mom has been enlightening, occasionally chaotic, but always rewarding.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025
For more recent history, the Ta’ Kola and Xewkija windmills are open to the public and offer an enlightening insight into a simpler time.
—AFAR Media, 28 Aug. 2025
No other piece of music this year so eloquently captured fin de siècle wariness, the gnawing sense that a new, scary, and potentially enlightening world may be only two years away.
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enlightening
Cite this Entry
“Enlightening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enlightening. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share