illustration

noun

il·lus·tra·tion | \ ˌi-lə-ˈstrā-shən also i-ˌlə-

Definition of illustration

1a : the action of illustrating : the condition of being illustrated

b archaic : the action of making illustrious or honored or distinguished

2 : something that serves to illustrate: such as

a : an example or instance that helps make something clear

b : a picture or diagram that helps make something clear or attractive

Other Words from illustration Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Example Sentences Learn More about illustration

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Choose the Right Synonym for illustration

instance, case, illustration, example, sample, specimen mean something that exhibits distinguishing characteristics in its category. instance applies to any individual person, act, or thing that may be offered to illustrate or explain. an instance of history repeating itself case is used to direct attention to a real or assumed occurrence or situation that is to be considered, studied, or dealt with. a case of mistaken identity illustration applies to an instance offered as a means of clarifying or illuminating a general statement. a telling illustration of Murphy's Law example applies to a typical, representative, or illustrative instance or case. a typical example of bureaucratic waste sample implies a part or unit taken at random from a larger whole and so presumed to be typical of its qualities. show us a sample of your work specimen applies to any example or sample whether representative or merely existent and available. one of the finest specimens of the jeweler's art

Examples of illustration in a Sentence

The illustration on page 30 shows the parts of an engine. a book with many photographs and illustrations The illustrations that he provided in his speech were very effective. They selected photographs to use for the illustration of the book. Illustration is the key to good communication.

Recent Examples on the Web

Carrano is one of the many whose link to dinosaurs came directly from Matternes—specifically his illustrations in a popular 1972 National Geographic book. — Roger Catlin, Smithsonian, "Meet the Master Muralist Who Inspired Today’s Generation of Paleoartists," 5 June 2019 In the throes of writing and daydreaming about the perfect nom de plume, my illustrations were also coming to life. — Haley Moss, Teen Vogue, "Telling My High School Class That I'm Autistic Is the Best Thing I've Ever Done," 12 Apr. 2019 The premier illustrator of his generation and patriarch of the artist clan of Wyeths, N.C. was also a distinguished painter of canvases and murals, work that ranged far beyond his famed illustrations for Treasure Island and other books. — Stephan Salisbury, https://www.inquirer.com, "N.C. Wyeth, Penn Museum’s moving sphinx, Gee’s Bend quilters, and more museum highlights," 5 June 2019 The elegant packaging features unique illustrations designed by Michele, which are inspired by the vintage era of house motifs with contemporary codes. — Maya Allen, Marie Claire, "Gucci Beauty Returns With 58 New Lipsticks You'll be Obsessed With," 10 May 2019 The design shown in these patent illustrations is wholly subject to change, as the car is still in its development stages. — Drew Dorian, Car and Driver, "Dyson's Long-Awaited Electric Vehicle Revealed in Design Patent Filing," 9 May 2019 The exhibitors will include weavings by Michelle Batho and porcelain ceramics by Melissa Goldstein’s Mg by hand, which are inspired by 17th century German and Japanese botanical illustration. — Ingrid Abramovitch, ELLE Decor, "This Hudson Valley Craft Market Will Jumpstart Your Garden," 9 May 2019 This story was updated at 5:12 PM with additional detail and illustrations. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Microsoft launches 'Fluid Framework' to transform the traditional Office document," 6 May 2019 An illustration in the newspaper showed the hammocks crisscrossing each other bunk-bed style, with the commander sleeping up top and the pilot on the bottom. — Roger Simmons, The Seattle Times, "Apollo 11 astronauts were sleepless in the Sea of Tranquility on moon," 12 Apr. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'illustration.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.