1
as in to illuminate
to supply with light
small table lamps illumine the inn's dining room in a most romantic way
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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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
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,
19 May 2025
Rev 21:10), an ark of salvation sailing through the waters of history and a beacon that illumines the dark nights of this world.
—
Daniel Burke,
NPR,
9 May 2025
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
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
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,
19 May 2025
Rev 21:10), an ark of salvation sailing through the waters of history and a beacon that illumines the dark nights of this world.
—
Daniel Burke,
NPR,
9 May 2025
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
Verb
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From the deck, Pawlak could see lightning illuminating the coastline like a fireworks show.
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What to read next Headquartered in Hawthorne, California, Reflect Orbital's vision is to deliver light on demand to solar power plants at night and to illuminate warzones and areas struck by natural disasters.
Verb
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Originally established to support anonymous crime-tip programs, the event has grown to help fund specialized equipment for local law enforcement, provide youth scholarships and educate participants about crime prevention efforts in the community.
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Its job is to educate the public, adopt regulations and investigate, audit and penalize businesses that mishandle personal information.
Verb
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No video evidence exists to show exactly how the Lachman fire started, much less that Rinderknecht was the one who lit the blaze.
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Opt for sconces and hanging lights, rather than lamps or lighting pieces that take up floorspace.
Verb
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Last night’s rude wakeup call inspires you to make some changes today!
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These 15 mountain towns in California offer contemporary amenities amid the beautiful landscapes that inspired one of nature’s most fervent champions.
Verb
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In a process known as photobleaching, the UV light breaks down the chemical bonds in pigments, which can brighten your whites.
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The light that shone from Red Beard’s joints brightened.
Cite this Entry
“Illumine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illumine. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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