1
as in informs
to give information to
the lecturer at the planetarium enlightened us about the latest astronomical discoveries
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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.
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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.
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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
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
Verb
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Welcome to Latest & Greatest, a franchise that celebrates all the shiniest new beauty launches of the month and informs you what’s worth your time and cash.
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Or a financial services firm where risk scoring informs underwriting, which informs pricing.
Verb
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Texas, which educates roughly 1 in 10 of the nation's public school students, has been at the forefront of a charge by conservatives to incorporate more religion into classrooms.
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SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.
Verb
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As the film tells it, her poses — sometimes casual, sometimes intense, always impressive — caught the eye of fellow climber Ivan Beerkus, and the two soon began collaborating.
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David Martin, who leads the global people and organization practice at BCG, tells Fortune that too many companies are focused on one-hour training sessions, half-day bootcamps, and other classic learning and development programs.
Verb
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July 23 – August 22 Leo, your playful spark inspires teamwork now.
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SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.
Verb
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Keeping money out of the Cuban government’s hands while helping the Cuban people is tricky, said Aymee Valdivia, an attorney at Holland & Knight who advises companies doing business in Cuba.
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Consumer Reports advises contacting customer support early in the trial to test how responsive the company is before you’re committed.
Verb
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When Little John struggles to describe his dream girl, Robin instructs his protegee to sketch an image with words.
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The resolution by Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins instructs Mayor Daniella Levine Cava to pursue clawing back money from the Host Committee if the county can determine federal dollars are now paying for expenses that Miami-Dade agreed to cover with its $21 million allocation.
Cite this Entry
“Enlightens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enlightens. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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