illuminating

adjective

il·​lu·​mi·​nat·​ing i-ˈlü-mə-ˌnā-tiŋ How to pronounce illuminating (audio)
: providing insight, clarity, or understanding : highly informative
an illuminating remark/discussion
… much of the information is quite illuminatingGlenn Kenny
illuminatingly adverb

Examples of illuminating in a Sentence

the show is an illuminating tutorial on ways to prepare popular dishes using wholesome ingredients
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In Love is an illuminating, modern love story about two people who make an impossible decision together that honors their enduring commitment to each other. Justin Kroll, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025 The latter may scoff at the idea of a nostalgic horror movie, but anyone who's had the urge to peek through their fingers as nightmares unfold in front of them knows that fear can be both cathartic and illuminating. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Oct. 2025 Thanks for your thorough and illuminating answers. Jane Ciabattari september 25, Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025 His section doesn’t do a great deal to flesh him out further, but his strategically low vantage point, as the most normal, streetwise, and least privileged player in the game, is an illuminating one. Andy Andersen, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for illuminating

Word History

First Known Use

1644, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of illuminating was in 1644

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Illuminating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/illuminating. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

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