1
as in to illumine
to supply with light
a floor lamp illuminates a living room rather nicely
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to explain
to make plain or understandable
the museum's exhibit on the refraction of light really illuminated the subject for us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to illustrate
to supplement with pictorial matter for the purpose of explanation or decoration
no one knows for sure the identity of the artist who illuminated that medieval manuscript so beautifully
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to highlight
to indicate the importance of by centering attention on
the results of the statewide testing illuminated the need to place more focus on instruction in math and science
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to educate
to provide (someone) with moral or spiritual understanding
how man is illuminated by a higher spirit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of illuminate
The NoHo Gateway Sign, a large-scale public art installation that has been dark since 2013, was illuminated during an evening ceremony led by Los Angeles City Councilmember Adrin Nazarian.
—
City News Service, Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
Solitude can be healing and illuminating today.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
Housed in a charming 1940s-era cottage with an outdoor patio illuminated by twinkly lights, Piola serves Italian dishes made from old family recipes.
—Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 24 Apr. 2026
At that time, the red stop lights embedded in the taxiway in front of the truck were illuminated, indicating the truck should not proceed.
—Aaron Cooper, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for illuminate
City News Service, Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
Solitude can be healing and illuminating today.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
Housed in a charming 1940s-era cottage with an outdoor patio illuminated by twinkly lights, Piola serves Italian dishes made from old family recipes.
—Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 24 Apr. 2026
At that time, the red stop lights embedded in the taxiway in front of the truck were illuminated, indicating the truck should not proceed.
—Aaron Cooper, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for illuminate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illuminate
Verb
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Fantastic, illumined by periodic excursions into surrealism, as when the crew of a mysterious UFO boards a transpacific Kahuna Airlines jet midflight.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
-
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
Verb
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Mike Jones of The Athletic explains why the lack of top-tier quarterback prospects beyond Fernando Mendoza limits the intrigue typically expected of NFL drafts.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
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One final metric that explains the nature of Bromley’s style is their passing sequences.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There will be a view of the river from the commons and interior wall graphics will illustrate the theme of the design, which incorporates the concepts of earth, air, water and fire.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
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Consider these our contemporary cupcake commandments, illustrated by three new recipes that are, as Carrie would say, fabulous.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Nonetheless, Gutekunst highlighted McClellan’s size, length (33 7/8-inch arms), versatility across the line and pass-rushing ability as reasons the Packers distinguished him from other available defensive tackles.—
Matt Schneidman,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Jacas specifically highlighted the players’ buy-in and how the staff challenged him physically and mentally during his time in the facility.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Terracycle, a recycling company with a major distribution center in Aurora, will also be on-site to educate the community about waste diversion and creating a zero-carbon footprint, according to the news release.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
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At the heart of this is also the aim to create an ecosystem for young filmmakers – one that empowers and educates them on the importance of marketing and distribution so that great stories don’t just get made, but truly reach audiences.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For some, a Day 3 NFL draft selection lights a competitive fuse, so to speak.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
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Until Artie Moreno fixes the holes in the ceiling and the holes in the lineup, the only thing consistently lit in Anaheim might be a Closed for Infestation sign.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This story has been updated to clarify that while the Pittsburgh Steelers won three Super Bowls in the 1970s, Steelers teams of the 1970s were actually victorious in four Super Bowls.—
Ayana Archie,
NPR,
24 Apr. 2026
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The Bears would not clarify publicly what those changes might be.—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The budget emphasizes that HUD funding is insufficient to meet rental assistance obligations.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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Patients should see a medical provider for a thorough exam and bloodwork before starting the drugs, the doctor emphasized.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Illuminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illuminate. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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