enlightenment
noun
en·light·en·ment
in-ˈlī-tᵊn-mənt 
en-
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
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 on the Web
If that requires putting institutions of enlightenment under the thumbs of loyal inquisitors so be it.
—
Ron Cunningham, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 June 2025
Lint best practices also made headlines earlier this year when a woman went viral on Tiktok for her shocking discovery in her dryer.
Kailey Bradley shared the hilarious story of her 22-year-old sister Delaney's laundry enlightenment.
—Mackenzie Schmidt, People.com, 5 June 2025
The jury is still out on whether pork ribs lacquered in lemongrass barbecue sauce provide spiritual enlightenment, but the tender meat is a master class in balancing sweet and savory.
—Joseph Hernandez, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 May 2025
Yet, later on, these clueless men find enlightenment at the expense of a young Indian boy’s life.
—Shannon Carlin, Time, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for enlightenment
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.
Ron Cunningham, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 June 2025
Lint best practices also made headlines earlier this year when a woman went viral on Tiktok for her shocking discovery in her dryer.
Kailey Bradley shared the hilarious story of her 22-year-old sister Delaney's laundry enlightenment.
—Mackenzie Schmidt, People.com, 5 June 2025
The jury is still out on whether pork ribs lacquered in lemongrass barbecue sauce provide spiritual enlightenment, but the tender meat is a master class in balancing sweet and savory.
—Joseph Hernandez, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 May 2025
Yet, later on, these clueless men find enlightenment at the expense of a young Indian boy’s life.
—Shannon Carlin, Time, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for enlightenment
Cite this Entry
“Enlightenment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enlightenment. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share