ILLUMINING Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

illumining

verb

present participle of illumine

as in illuminating

to supply with light small table lamps illumine the inn's dining room in a most romantic way

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in educating

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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for illumining

Verb

Bill gave us a big chunk of his time to dig into these issues with him, and the resulting conversation is a really illuminating one.

— Nilay Patel, The Verge, 22 Oct. 2026
Fayet later moved into illustration, illuminating works of poetry and even a book for his grandchildren.

— Julie Coe, Architectural Digest, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of illuminating

Verb

In 29 states, retirees would see even bigger average reductions, according to the nonpartisan organization focused on educating the public on fiscal policy issues.

— Lorie Konish, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2026
Aside from product quality and interior design, Kingsley wants the focal point of the business to be educating and mentoring baristas.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of educating

Verb

Thank you very much for waking me up and lighting a fire under me.

— Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 8 Nov. 2026
Over at Article, there are pages of savings up to 60% off on midcentury modern and Scandi-influenced furniture, home decor, and lighting all waiting to be snapped up.

— Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of lighting

Verb

Advanced Micro Devices ' third-quarter financial results beat expectations, inspiring more confidence from Wall Street.

— Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2026
Of course, others revered this leader as a pioneer of nonviolent resistance, great social reformer, inspiring civil rights leader, and the modern father of a major nation.

— Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of inspiring

Verb

The combination of citrus fragrance and airy, fluffy bubbles lifts your spirits, and the blend of brightening ingredients, including powerhouse vitamin C, smooths and evens skin.

— Kara Nesvig, Allure, 5 Nov. 2026
If true, the early afterglow hypothetically traces back to the jet’s wings, while the brightening X-ray phase came from the thin core.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of brightening

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.

Browse Nearby Words

illuming

illumining

ill-usage

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Illumining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illumining. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of illumining

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

defer

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes