as in education
the process by which one gains a greater understanding of something
The teacher's supplementary notes did provide some enlightenment on the difficult material. Those seeking enlightenment on Eastern philosophy should sign up for the class.
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Recent Examples of enlightenment
Lily Allen, West End Girl To know one’s mind and communicate its contents clearly is a sign of enlightenment—and for that reason, if few others, the 40-year-old British singer Lily Allen should feel at peace.
—
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025
The enlightenment for us is that material things can be gone within a day.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2025
She’s not ruled by her primordial urges, but incorporates them into a larger personal quest for knowledge and enlightenment.
—Katie Rife, Vulture, 9 Nov. 2025
For millennia, breath has been understood not only as the cornerstone of human life but as a path to spiritual enlightenment.
—Sean Williams, Outside, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enlightenment
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025
The enlightenment for us is that material things can be gone within a day.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2025
She’s not ruled by her primordial urges, but incorporates them into a larger personal quest for knowledge and enlightenment.
—Katie Rife, Vulture, 9 Nov. 2025
For millennia, breath has been understood not only as the cornerstone of human life but as a path to spiritual enlightenment.
—Sean Williams, Outside, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enlightenment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enlightenment
Noun
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As uniform payment for attorneys changes the landscape of family law, training and education are at the forefront of the conversation.—
Raynee Howell,
Oklahoma Watch,
9 Feb. 2026
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The factors that drove it have mostly played out, including Congress raising the Social Security eligibility age by two years, gains in education and life expectancy and fewer employee pensions, said Alicia Munnell, a senior adviser to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.—
Paige Winfield Cunningham The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The process includes passing the FAA knowledge test, completing ground school and learning how to control, maintain, transport and assemble the aircraft.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
8 Feb. 2026
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Now, as investigators searching for Nancy Guthrie focus on possible leads, Schweit and several other former FBI agents say the details released so far suggest the perpetrator likely had prior knowledge of the home or family, and a financial rather than ideological motivation for the crime.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Campaign Manager 2018 and 2020 in NC House District 90; serves on board and volunteers with separate local non-profits focusing on disaster relief, harm/risk reduction in communities battling addiction, and minority scholarship.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Feb. 2026
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Tax credit scholarships are funded by voluntary private contributions.—
Shlomo Soroka,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Enlightenment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enlightenment. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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