Definition of enlightenment
1 : the act or means of enlightening : the state of being enlightened
2 capitalized : a philosophical movement of the 18th century marked by a rejection of traditional social, religious, and political ideas and an emphasis on rationalism —used with the
3 Buddhism : a final blessed state marked by the absence of desire or suffering
From the M-W Editors
Examples of enlightenment in a Sentence
the search for spiritual enlightenment
His comments failed to provide enlightenment.
the enlightenment of the public through education
Recent Examples of enlightenment from the Web
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The award honors individuals for their contributions to public discourse and the cultural enlightenment of society.
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The play itself is imperfect, with a sentimental ending and one character’s unconvincing enlightenment.
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The aspiring guru also began to offer an array of high-tech devices, shortcuts on the road to enlightenment for the youth of Japan.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'enlightenment'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
1621
First Known Use of enlightenment
1621
Other Philosophy Terms
ENLIGHTENMENT Defined for English Language Learners
enlightenment
playDefinition of enlightenment for English Language Learners
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: the state of having knowledge or understanding : the act of giving someone knowledge or understanding
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the Enlightenment : a movement of the 18th century that stressed the belief that science and logic give people more knowledge and understanding than tradition and religion
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Buddhism : a final spiritual state marked by the absence of desire or suffering
Learn More about enlightenment
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Spanish Central: Translation of enlightenment Nglish: Translation of enlightenment for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of enlightenment for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about enlightenment
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