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
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Plus, the Chicago Herpetological Society will be educating attendees on wildlife conservation efforts while the Fox Valley Electric Auto Association showcases the benefits of driving an electric vehicle, the city’s news release said.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Mar. 2026 -
SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
2 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 original 1935 film that inspired Gyllenhaal’s version also followed that vein.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
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His name comes from the house elf in the Harry Potter books, inspired by his prominent ears.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The case illuminates how authorities are enforcing California’s strict ABC independent contractor test, codified at Labor Code section 2775.—
Dan Eaton,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
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Clapper illuminated the installation with lightning bolts to symbolize speed, protection and pride, and included a perforated skin mapping nearby streets.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The jars also had hobby fuses that could be lit.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
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The devices, Tisch said at a Saturday news conference, were smaller than a football and appeared to be a jar wrapped in black tape that contained nuts, bolts, and screws, along with a hobby fuse that could be lit.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
9 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Illume.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illume. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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