1
as in inspires
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 illumines
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 illumes
Verb
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Part of the writer’s job—well, maybe all of it—is to leave behind a text that inspires feeling and debate.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026 -
Artificial intelligence inspires both excitement and anxiety, and few people are as well equipped to separate signal from noise as Rajeev Kapur.—
Rodger Dean Duncan,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Cody Cottier,
Scientific American,
29 Jan. 2026
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Proceeds from the concert will benefit the Painted Turtle, which provides a summer camp experience for kids with serious medical issues, and the Bridge School, which educates children with severe speech and physical disabilities.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This Leo Full Moon illuminates confidence, creativity, leadership, and the desire to be seen.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
25 Jan. 2026
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Amid the chronological retelling of anecdotes and landmark events in Valdez’s storied career, Alvarado also illuminates the elderly master’s personal wounds.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Status lights The best bed alarms have status lights that relate varying pieces of information.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
22 Jan. 2026
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Taylor then lights a cigarette, sets the tchotchkes aflame, and fury-walks out the door.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Illumes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illumes. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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