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
as in instructive
providing useful information or knowledge
the show is an illuminating tutorial on ways to prepare popular dishes using wholesome ingredients
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in illumining
to supply with light
a floor lamp illuminates a living room rather nicely
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in explaining
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 illustrating
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 highlighting
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 educating
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
Scott Bryan, Variety, 18 May 2026
My family's summer road trip had just gotten underway when an unfamiliar orange exclamation point illuminated the dashboard of our Honda Pilot.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
Brittany Delay, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
However, many statistics can be useful and illuminating.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
Tristan Bove, Fortune, 11 May 2026
These current findings clarify the relationship between the brain and physical movement, illuminating fundamental mechanics that can apply to other research, said Michael Goard, an associate professor at UC Santa Barbara who studies sensory and spatial processing.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for illuminate
Verb
There were some illuminating moments for me from the contributors.
—Scott Bryan, Variety, 18 May 2026
My family's summer road trip had just gotten underway when an unfamiliar orange exclamation point illuminated the dashboard of our Honda Pilot.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
Adjective
And somehow all these conversations have been equally illuminating.
—Brittany Delay, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
However, many statistics can be useful and illuminating.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
Tribal businesses often lead to significant spillover effects benefiting even non-tribal citizens, and while national-level data of their economic impact is scarce, state-level examples are illuminating.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 11 May 2026
These current findings clarify the relationship between the brain and physical movement, illuminating fundamental mechanics that can apply to other research, said Michael Goard, an associate professor at UC Santa Barbara who studies sensory and spatial processing.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 May 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
-
Vrabel, meanwhile, stumbled though multiple press conferences while trying to both avoid and explain the issue without ever really providing details.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
This may explain why credit markets barely budged after last week’s spending figures.—
Alaa Shahine Salha,
semafor.com,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Sometimes the decision is obvious, necessitated by the availability of gravitational slingshots from planets, as illustrated by the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 missions.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
19 May 2026
-
First, a dating story that illustrates this dynamic.—
Greg Rosalsky,
NPR,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
The recent debate over the Broward County surrogacy case highlights a crucial moment in Florida’s fight to protect preborn children.—
Kimberly Bird,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 May 2026
-
Industry groups also highlighted concerns around bills that did not pass, despite being beneficial to businesses in the state.—
P.R. Lockhart,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
19 May 2026
-
Several teachers on the staff have been a part of Ocean Week since its origins in 1993 including Halboth, Linda Tan and Christi Walter—all three are retiring this spring after giving 35 years of educating Rancho Santa Fe students.—
Karen Billing,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
That small moment proves disproportionately instructive to the film’s prevailing ethos, which is most interested in bodies as vehicles for tracing the friction between fluidity and permanence.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
18 May 2026
-
The numbers behind the spend are what make the story instructive rather than anecdotal.—
Janakiram MSV,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
There will also be a letter to take to their healthcare provider explaining the situation.—
Joe Brandt,
CBS News,
20 May 2026
-
Mathematicians take notice The proof underwent external review by mathematicians who also produced a companion paper explaining the argument and its broader importance.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Fox News Digital reporting captures this tense cultural moment, illustrating the mixed public sentiment and skepticism surrounding AI's growing footprint in daily life.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
-
The shot of the car hurtling off the cliff is one of cinema’s most enduring images, illustrating unbreakable friendship, victory and freedom.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Illuminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illuminate. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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