Synonyms of illuminates

illuminates

verb

present tense third-person singular of illuminate

1

as in illumines

to supply with light

a floor lamp illuminates a living room rather nicely

Synonyms & Similar Words

• illumines
• lights
• brightens
• lightens
• irradiates
• bathes
• shines
• illumes
• highlights
• glows
• beacons
• glistens
• radiates
• emblazes
• spotlights
• ignites
• beams
• gleams
• beats (down)
• dazzles
• kindles
• incinerates
• glares
• glitters
• blinds
• blazes
• flames
• floodlights
• haloes
• enhaloes
• burns
• fires
• bedazzles
• dazes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• darkens
• obfuscates
• obscures
• blackens
• dims
• dulls
• covers
• extinguishes
• shrouds
• veils
• quenches
• douses
• puts out
• snuffs (out)
• dowses

2

as in explains

to make plain or understandable

the museum's exhibit on the refraction of light really illuminated the subject for us

Synonyms & Similar Words

• explains
• illustrates
• clarifies
• demonstrates
• simplifies
• interprets
• elucidates
• explicates
• expounds
• demystifies
• construes
• analyzes
• spells out
• clears (up)
• defines
• resolves
• gets across
• specifies
• deciphers
• solves
• decodes
• unriddles
• unravels
• undoes
• disentangles
• annotates
• untangles
• glosses
• breaks down
• unscrambles
• commentates

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• obscures
• confuses
• clouds
• confounds
• obfuscates
• befogs

3

as in illustrates

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

• illustrates
• visualizes
• pictorializes
• images
• pictures

4

as in emphasizes

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

• emphasizes
• highlights
• stresses
• features
• punctuates
• identifies
• accentuates
• foregrounds
• focuses
• points (up)
• accents
• pinpoints
• makes much of
• spotlights
• promotes
• focusses
• presses
• plays up
• bears down on
• advertises
• publicizes
• boosts
• plugs
• overplays

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• tones (down)
• understates
• plays down
• minimizes
• de-emphasizes
• underemphasizes
• disparages
• belittles
• discounts

5

as in educates

to provide (someone) with moral or spiritual understanding

how man is illuminated by a higher spirit

Synonyms & Similar Words

• educates
• inspires
• illumines
• transforms
• enriches
• enlightens
• nurtures
• uplifts
• edifies
• illumes
• improves
• ennobles
• elevates
• lifts
• transfigures
• exalts
• regenerates
• renews
• ensouls
• betters
• glorifies

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• confuses
• obscures
• puzzles
• darkens
• perplexes
• clouds
• beclouds

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of illuminates

During the holidays, a massive Christmas tree illuminates the space. —Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

Moonlight illuminates open-air dining in a former railway station, where brews from Poland’s emerging craft beer scene also await. —AFAR Media, 2 Sep. 2025

Tuesday’s brief illuminates the sharp disagreement between the two sides over charters. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 2 Sep. 2025

Book a private sunrise balloon flight for an unforgettable perspective, floating silently above the rolling patchwork of coffee farms as dawn illuminates the landscape. —Boris Seckovic, Travel + Leisure, 31 Aug. 2025

The tragic mass killing in Minnesota illuminates the need for pre-emptive intervention in identifying potential school shooters. —Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 28 Aug. 2025

The pic also showed off Jennifer Aniston’s money piece highlights, the face-framing way to give yourself a bit of a blonde glow without bleaching your whole head, sort of the way a ring light illuminates you from the front. —Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 19 Aug. 2025

Welcome Mode, to start, sees the vehicle illuminates as the driver approaches. —New Atlas, 15 Aug. 2025

The device has an LED light that illuminates hidden debris. —Isabel Garcia, People.com, 14 Aug. 2025