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 illuminating skin tint instantly blurs and brightens my complexion and leaves behind a soft-focus glow—almost as if my skin were an IRL filter.
—
Alyssa Morin, InStyle, 20 Feb. 2026
Once stationary, turn off all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights are not illuminated, reducing the risk of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2026
Valuation reset has certainly been a driver in illuminating many of the Dow Jones companies.
—Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026
By illuminating the chilling echoes of 1929 in Hamas’ massacre of October 7, 2023, Schwartz illustrates how little has changed — and how much of our perspective must change if peace is ever to come to this land and its people.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for illuminate
Alyssa Morin, InStyle, 20 Feb. 2026
Once stationary, turn off all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights are not illuminated, reducing the risk of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2026
Valuation reset has certainly been a driver in illuminating many of the Dow Jones companies.
—Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026
By illuminating the chilling echoes of 1929 in Hamas’ massacre of October 7, 2023, Schwartz illustrates how little has changed — and how much of our perspective must change if peace is ever to come to this land and its people.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for illuminate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illuminate
Verb
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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
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These fruits are tiny stars, planets in arm’s reach, little moons reddened by desire and cunning, the sun, at each step, illumines the petals of the dogwood flowers, their bright yellow is dimmed by no leaf, on their still-bare branches the first fissure in winter opens up by magic.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2025
Verb
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The suit prompted the restaurant to update language on its bill to explain that the service fee was not the same as a gratuity.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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In general, the hospital has always instructed its providers not to make comments or notes about a patient’s immigration status on notes or other materials that can be accessed, the doctor explained.—
Lauren Mascarenhas,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The inflation Sarkisian described is most powerfully illustrated through head coaching salaries.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
24 Feb. 2026
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That's where the rate has consistently sat in recent weeks, illustrating the stability in the mortgage rate environment currently.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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One of those is Garcia, who his coach went on to highlight.—
Erik Anderson,
Boston Herald,
22 Feb. 2026
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Poway, the reigning Masters Champion but the runner-up in the Division 2 section finals meet two weeks ago, powered through to retain the Masters team title at 183 points, highlighted by having six finalists and three champions.—
Breven Honda,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
24 Feb. 2026
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One of our guests, John Davidson MBE has Tourette Syndrome and has devoted his life to educating and campaigning for better understanding of the condition.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While not as white as Florida’s quartz beaches, Emerald Isle’s shoreline trends light khaki to off-white – noticeably lighter than the mineral-heavy sand found on many other North Carolina beaches.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Feb. 2026
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When cleaning is complete, light an odor-removing candle, kick back and relish in your accomplishment.—
Claire Peltier,
ABC News,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The brief comment during a lightning round of questions quickly attracted attention and Obama later sought to clarify his remarks with a statement on social media.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
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In this study, P-free and P-containing glasses and glass ceramics were synthesized and evaluated using various analytical methods to clarify the influence of P addition on the glass structure and state of P after crystallization.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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When many publications let down their paywall at the tantalizing prospect of chasing massive audiences online through social platforms, The Economist remained skeptical, choosing a model that emphasized subscription and reader revenue over advertising.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
23 Feb. 2026
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Rooms emphasize the history – plenty of velvet, iron, wood, particularly in the suites, where design elements take their cues from Italian opera boxes.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Illuminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illuminate. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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