enlightening

1 of 2

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

enlightening

2 of 2

present participle of enlighten

Synonyms of enlightening

Adjective

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

Examples of enlightening in a Sentence

Adjective

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

None of this is particularly enlightening, and any opportunity to portray the conflict between Stewart’s celebrity, soldierly and civilian identities is squandered by the consistently phony, ennobling tone of proceedings. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 6 Nov. 2026

Pinpointing the possible sites where Teghaza was launched by a giant impact on its fateful journey to Earth is a feat all its own, but the meteorite’s chemical composition shows something even more enlightening. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 29 Oct. 2026

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles. — Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 30 Sep. 2026

This columnist’s three years in the trenches were the toughest yet most enlightening three years of my career. — Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1574, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for enlightening

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