enlightens

verb

present tense third-person singular of enlighten
1
as in informs
to give information to the lecturer at the planetarium enlightened us about the latest astronomical discoveries

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in educates
to provide (someone) with moral or spiritual understanding many people around the world have been enlightened by the teachings of Gautama Buddha

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of enlightens This style of theater both enlightens and entertains, each actor stepping out of the ensemble inside Kelleher’s direction that teeters on the edge of heavy-handidness without ever getting there. — David John Chávez, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026 The Harlem Book of the Dead, conceived and nurtured by Camille Billops, cherishes that remembrance and enlightens us as only memory can. — Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025 Hopefully, that prepares them to be active and engaged citizens of the democracy that George Washington fought so hard to secure and enlightens them to do something with their lives that will make the world a better place. — Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enlightens
  1. informs
  2. educates
  3. tells
  4. inspires
  5. advises
  6. instructs
Verb
  • In addition to scaring the bejesus out of Hamlet and demanding blood, the ghost informs the audience exactly how the murder occurred.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The facility lacks a verifiable method that informs food employees of their responsibility to report their health status in regards to illnesses that can spread through food.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of informs
Verb
  • The organization educates veterans about underutilized resources and opportunities.
    — Monique John, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Eton College, located in the English county of Berkshire a stone’s throw from Windsor Castle, educates boys aged 13 to 18 and accepts around 270 students per academic year.
    — Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of educates
Verb
  • Based on Aira Bonfim’s in-depth research, the short film tells the story of Dona Carlota Rezende, the coach of the pioneering female football team Primavera Atlético Clube, in the 1940s.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Tasca tells Robb Report that the original developmental vines were obtained through a nursery that sold them only for trial purposes, but then the experiment became part of a larger initiative.
    — Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of tells
Verb
  • There is a near-identical robot to be found at Jalsa, an Indian restaurant in my Brooklyn neighborhood, where its presence inspires the same frisson of novelty as a hands-off steering wheel.
    — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • This inspires Other Mommy to gruesomely kill Frank in front of Bela, including blowing his head up in an outrageous explosion of blood.
    — William Earl, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of inspires
Verb
  • Inside, Kaylee is eager to prove herself by really learning laundry and nailing it; Fraser advises her to come up with a system and stick to it.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026
  • This summer, Kennedy’s health department appointed doctors with financial stakes in the peptide industry to a panel that advises the FDA.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of advises
Verb
  • Once identified, the AI then instructs the robot’s grippers to grab the item from the waste stream, ready for processing.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
  • David instructs Johnny to find out what Taylor & Byrne know about Flora Monroe, discreetly.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of instructs

Browse Nearby Words

enlightenment
enlightens
enlist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Enlightens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enlightens. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of outlandish

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All