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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of illuminate
With the new moon falling on Sunday, June 14, the full moon will illuminate Boise’s night sky on Monday, June 29.
—
Hali Smith
june 4, Idaho Statesman, 4 June 2026
The Minneapolis skyline will be illuminated in purple on June 6, the evening before his birthday.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 4 June 2026
Chef Kevin Liao also distinguishes the kitchen with his illuminating Toisanese specialties, a regional subgenre of Cantonese cuisine either rarely seen in Los Angeles or so deeply assimilated into more generalized Cantonese menus that its distinctions are hard to parse.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
As long as action takes place at the Captain’s mansion, nicely illuminated, things are fine.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for illuminate
Hali Smith
june 4, Idaho Statesman, 4 June 2026
The Minneapolis skyline will be illuminated in purple on June 6, the evening before his birthday.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 4 June 2026
Chef Kevin Liao also distinguishes the kitchen with his illuminating Toisanese specialties, a regional subgenre of Cantonese cuisine either rarely seen in Los Angeles or so deeply assimilated into more generalized Cantonese menus that its distinctions are hard to parse.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
As long as action takes place at the Captain’s mansion, nicely illuminated, things are fine.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for illuminate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illuminate
Verb
-
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
-
Any new-to-the-stage songwriter may need time to acclimate to a new mode, and this particular case may be explained by the fact that Mann, according to reporting, is no longer actively involved in the show’s development.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
5 June 2026
-
This adaptation explains why the hourlong train ride to work can start out as exhausting, but become part of your daily routine.—
Christian B. Miller,
The Conversation,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
One of my favorites is Suzuki Beane (1961) written by Sandra Scoppettone and illustrated by Louise Fitzhugh, a parody of Eloise at the Plaza Hotel.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
-
On the civil side, even one of the greatest examples of professional airmanship in history, US Airways Flight 1549, illustrates the limits of human cognitive bandwidth under extreme pressure.—
Tim Burns,
Fortune,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
The postmortem highlighted nearly two dozen laws that the city attorney’s office identified as affecting Meridian city business, some requiring minor tweaks to standard practices and others necessitating city-code overhauls.—
Rose Evans
June 6,
Idaho Statesman,
6 June 2026
-
More than 4,000 shoppers purchased this pool in the past month alone, with reviewers frequently highlighting its durability, quality, and roomy design.—
Chaunie Brusie,
Parents,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
The program is a half-day, in-depth course to educate attendees on the principles used by firefighters in suppressing wildland fire and protecting structures in the Wildland Urban Interface, said workshop organizers.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 June 2026
-
As the World Cup tourists arrive, the national seashore is educating them about how to stay safe at local beaches.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Hunters often lit blazing fires, which disoriented and frightened the elk, and as many animals as possible were killed.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
-
This type of signage became so ubiquitous and so grotesquely huge across the city as businesses advertised and competed for visual attention that they were forcefully phased out by the government in the 2010s and replaced by Korean letters tastefully cut out to be lit from within instead.—
Anton Hur,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Speaking to Rob Bradford on the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast prior to Thursday’s game against the Atlanta Braves, Anthony clarified the exact nature of his injury, which was officially announced by the team as a right wrist sprain.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
-
If a co-worker asks for help, clarify a fair boundary, then trade a small favor for a realistic timeline.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Total football remade soccer worldwide by emphasizing movement and pressure on the ball and the interchangeability of positions, laying the groundwork for the modern incarnation of the sport.—
Leander Schaerlaeckens
June 8,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
-
The analyst also emphasized VNOM's attractive capital returns framework.—
TipRanks.com Staff,
CNBC,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Illuminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illuminate. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
