illumine

verb

i-ˈlü-mən How to pronounce illumine (audio)
Definition of illuminenext
1
as in to illuminate
to supply with light small table lamps illumine the inn's dining room in a most romantic way

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to educate
to provide (someone) with moral or spiritual understanding readers of great literature are both entertained and illumined

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of illumine 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, 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 The bar was illumined by candles and an uplit line of mostly esoteric liquors along the full-length mirror against the back wall. — Lauren Groff, The Atlantic, 28 Sep. 2024 In a room illumined by the light of a few candles, a group of women with veils over their faces conducts a séance. — Rhoda Feng, ARTnews.com, 9 Aug. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illumine
  1. illuminate
  2. educate
  3. light
  4. inspire
  5. brighten
Verb
  • If nothing else, The Steppe and Its Empires is illuminating as a catalog of comparable practices across these empires.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Telescopes have upended astronomy again and again by illuminating what was previously invisible to the naked eye.
    — Elijah Tan, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of illuminate
Verb
  • This summer, Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office deputies have also pulled over teens for driving e-bikes and e-motorcycles recklessly, but also to educate teens on driving responsibly and the rules of the road.
    — Ashley Portillo, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • As during the first Taliban regime in the 1990s, women activists have organized underground schools to educate girls denied access to formal classrooms.
    — Rina Amiri, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of educate
Verb
  • Hal is arrested, per his plan, as John meets and sleeps with a mysterious woman, Zoe (Poorna Jagannathan), and uses Hal’s ring to light her cigarette after the fact.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 17 Aug. 2026
  • But his appointment also lit a fire among a group of academics - and others - who believe Cambridge and other universities and public bodies are striving too hard to increase their diversity.
    — Rupert Neate, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of light
Verb
  • The restaurant's menu is inspired by the history of Menorca, especially the period of French occupation in the 18th century, which had a significant influence on the island’s cuisine.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The film seeks to celebrate Guillén’s life while honoring the tireless advocacy of her family, whose campaigning inspired lasting legislative change and amplified the voices of military families.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of inspire
Verb
  • Hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid delivers hydration and keeps skin smooth and glowing, plus there’s niacinamide and licorice extract to brighten and even the complexion.
    — Celia Shatzman, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The second helps minimize fine lines and wrinkles, a new attribute to the serum whose primary function has been to brighten and hydrate the skin.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of brighten

Browse Nearby Words

illuminative
illumine
illumined
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Cite this Entry

“Illumine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illumine. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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