1
as in to educate
to provide (someone) with moral or spiritual understanding
a favorite line of an Eastern Church hymn reads, "through fast-closed doors Thou camest Thy Disciples to illume"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to illumine
to supply with light
during the vigil service the church's Gothic interior was illumed by the light of hundreds of tapers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illume
Verb
-
SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Clara Moskowitz,
Scientific American,
17 Mar. 2026 -
Salon professionals can end up spending significant money on products and time educating clients, only to see little to no ROI in return.—
Kelley Swing,
Rolling Stone,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Geraldine walked over to Felix and Jane’s for fish soup, through long autumn shadows in the park, haze rising like smoke from the grass, illumined by the low sun.—
Tessa Hadley,
New Yorker,
25 Jan. 2026
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These fruits are tiny stars, planets in arm’s reach, little moons reddened by desire and cunning, the sun, at each step, illumines the petals of the dogwood flowers, their bright yellow is dimmed by no leaf, on their still-bare branches the first fissure in winter opens up by magic.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2025
Verb
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The restaurant’s culinary language infuses Mediterranean (largely French Riviera flavors) inspired dishes and Japanese ingredients and cooking techniques—all with sustainability in mind.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The new way could be inspiring people.—
Magi Helena,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And perhaps this whole saga illuminates another reason why voters prefer to make young hunks wait until their late 30s, as Jordan did, to get their Oscar — to teach them humility.—
Nate Jones,
Vulture,
16 Mar. 2026
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The Modern Wing is illuminated in stunning natural light that brilliantly showcases its contemporary works.—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Police are advising businesses in the area to keep their property lit, immediately repair any broken windows or locks, and, if available, save a copy of any surveillance video for detectives.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
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Bring a flashlight, as the surrounding area is mostly pitch black and the park roads are not lit.—
Ben Davidson,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Illume.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illume. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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