enlighten

verb

en·​light·​en in-ˈlī-tᵊn 

en-

enlightened; enlightening in-ˈlīt-niŋ 

-ˈlī-tᵊn-iŋ, 

en-

transitive verb

1

a

: to furnish knowledge to : instruct

enlightened us about the problem

b

: to give spiritual insight to

2

archaic : illuminate

Synonyms of enlighten

• inform
• tell
• advise
• instruct

Examples of enlighten in a Sentence

I don't understand what's going on; can someone please enlighten me?

the lecturer at the planetarium enlightened us about the latest astronomical discoveries

Recent Examples on the Web

Some wore Hurricanes’ gear, enlightening those who wondered if anyone actually wore such attire. — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026

The purpose was to enlighten future leaders, and the campus offered the only way to do so. — Jim Nowlan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026

Kevin Dickinson The Learning Curve Every era believes it is enlightened. — Big Think, 31 July 2026

This facility really enlightened the physics of that operation considerably. — Ricky Sayer, CBS News, 30 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Rhymes for enlighten

• exciton
• brighten
• chitin
• frighten
• heighten
• lighten
• phaeton
• tighten
• titan
• triton
• whiten
• periphyton

Kids Definition

enlighten

verb

en·​light·​en in-ˈlīt-ᵊn 

enlightened; enlightening -ˈlīt-niŋ 

-ᵊn-iŋ

: to give knowledge or understanding to : instruct

enlightened us about the problem

enlightenment

-ᵊn-mənt

noun