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
At the same time, faint light reflected from Earth softly illuminates the Moon, revealing mountains and craters in a dim twilight.
—
Deana L. Weibel, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2026
In the room over, the full Reform Copenhagen kitchen is beautifully lit by two Louis Poulsen pendant lights and the dining table is illuminated by a Herman Miller Saucer Bubble pendant.
—Sarah Wood González, Architectural Digest, 30 Apr. 2026
The permanent exhibits include ancient artifacts like tools and rock art alongside contemporary art installations that help illuminate the development of early civilization.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 30 Apr. 2026
Entrepreneurs can achieve the same by showing how local wins illuminate universal truths about leadership.
—Melissa Jun Rowley, Rolling Stone, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for illuminate
Deana L. Weibel, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2026
In the room over, the full Reform Copenhagen kitchen is beautifully lit by two Louis Poulsen pendant lights and the dining table is illuminated by a Herman Miller Saucer Bubble pendant.
—Sarah Wood González, Architectural Digest, 30 Apr. 2026
The permanent exhibits include ancient artifacts like tools and rock art alongside contemporary art installations that help illuminate the development of early civilization.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 30 Apr. 2026
Entrepreneurs can achieve the same by showing how local wins illuminate universal truths about leadership.
—Melissa Jun Rowley, Rolling Stone, 29 Apr. 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
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Besides the driver, an amiable man who was happy to explain how the shredder worked, only a few nervous schoolchildren stood around, supervised by a woman with a badge that identified her as an envoy of the library.—
Mary Norris,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
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The bulletin examined nutrition in common foods (especially meat, bread, and milk), explained how the body uses food as fuel, outlined dietary standards, and considered the economy of food, food waste, and connections between food and health.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
There will be a view of the river from the commons and interior wall graphics will illustrate the theme of the design, which incorporates the concepts of earth, air, water and fire.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
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Consider these our contemporary cupcake commandments, illustrated by three new recipes that are, as Carrie would say, fabulous.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As the Moon moves into Sagittarius, your 2nd House of Resources comes into focus, highlighting money, time, and priorities that need attention.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
-
Prosecutors highlighted allegations of previous behavior of the suspect in the filings, including allegedly admiring the 2018 Woolsey fire, burning a Bible, threatening to burn his sister’s house down and using ChatGPT to generate images of people running from a burning forest.—
Sierra van der Brug,
Daily News,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
Terracycle, a recycling company with a major distribution center in Aurora, will also be on-site to educate the community about waste diversion and creating a zero-carbon footprint, according to the news release.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
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At the heart of this is also the aim to create an ecosystem for young filmmakers – one that empowers and educates them on the importance of marketing and distribution so that great stories don’t just get made, but truly reach audiences.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Brunson lit the match, but the game belonged to all of them.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
5 May 2026
-
One candle is lit with another, moths are invited in.—
Brenda Hillman,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
That moment was supposed to clarify the boundaries of acceptable discourse.—
Alma Hernandez,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
-
Officials later clarified that a meth lab was never located inside Wells Hall.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Cavender, meanwhile, focused on fiscal discipline, public safety resources and neighborhood quality, while Crow emphasized affordability and community engagement in budget decisions.—
Sergio Candido,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
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Rather than steering young people exclusively toward high-paying technical fields like computer science, a growing number are emphasizing the long-term value of skills often associated with a humanities or liberal arts education.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Illuminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illuminate. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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