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
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
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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
-
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
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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
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To critics, Harden's comments illustrated how economic incentives can outweigh public commitments to free expression when China is involved.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
-
The raise for Surtain also illustrates the options the Broncos had in mind while building up considerable cap space entering the summer.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Verb
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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
-
Open-minded, passionate, forthright and brave, Eva is well-educated, well-read, adventurous, generous of spirit, a world-traveler.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
2 June 2026
-
His enforcers were trained in torture techniques by the CIA and educated in the theories expounded by the political scientist Samuel Huntington.—
Wyatt Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Another person lit a pyrotechnic device that generates an explosion of smoke in the color of blue for a boy or pink for a girl, as seen in surveillance video.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
-
In a criminal complaint, authorities allege Rinderknecht caused the initial fire by lighting a combustible material, such as vegetation or paper, with an open flame, likely a lighter.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
Verb
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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
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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.
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