Synonyms of illustrates

illustrates

verb

present tense third-person singular of illustrate

1

as in demonstrates

to show or make clear by using examples

she illustrated her point with a story about her experiences as a field anthropologist

Synonyms & Similar Words

• demonstrates
• explains
• exemplifies
• instances
• clarifies
• specifies
• cites
• analyzes
• mentions
• elucidates
• quotes
• expounds
• interprets
• adduces
• explicates
• illuminates
• details
• clears (up)
• simplifies
• construes
• enumerates
• spells out
• lists
• enlightens
• names
• edifies
• breaks down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• obscures
• blurs
• darkens
• clouds
• confuses
• muddies
• puzzles
• beclouds
• perplexes
• fogs

2

as in illuminates

to supplement with pictorial matter for the purpose of explanation or decoration

lavishly illustrated the monograph on Caravaggio with color plates

Synonyms & Similar Words

• illuminates
• visualizes
• pictorializes
• images
• pictures

3

as in explains

to make plain or understandable

the recent devastating fire illustrates the need for improved safety codes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• explains
• demonstrates
• clarifies
• illuminates
• simplifies
• interprets
• elucidates
• explicates
• expounds
• construes
• demystifies
• spells out
• clears (up)
• analyzes
• defines
• specifies
• gets across
• resolves
• solves
• deciphers
• decodes
• unriddles
• unravels
• undoes
• annotates
• disentangles
• untangles
• breaks down
• glosses
• unscrambles
• commentates

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• obscures
• confuses
• clouds
• confounds
• obfuscates
• befogs

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of illustrates

Kindred Black, founded in 2014 by Alice Kindred Wells and Jennifer Black Francis, illustrates the model. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 6 Nov. 2026

And 2025 statewide data from Utah illustrates the problem with unusual clarity. — Susan Madsen, Forbes.com, 5 Nov. 2026

The Season 2 premiere illustrates the trust the writers’ have in their entire acting company. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 2 Nov. 2026

An incident in Leon County, in the Florida Panhandle, illustrates the widespread anxiety about law enforcement at the polls. — Jen Fifield, ProPublica, 2 Nov. 2026

Adam has always coped with the world by drawing—his artwork on yellow legal pads and sticky notes illustrates the novel—but now there’s a new girl in school who’s praised for her artwork, and Adam feels his identity as an artist slipping away. — Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026

That last example illustrates why advanced detection matters. — New Atlas, 1 Nov. 2026

His case illustrates the importance of knowing the warning signs of a stroke. — Diane Webber, NPR, 1 Nov. 2026

An 18th-century Kangra painting illustrates their visit to the ancient sage Bharadvaja’s hermitage and places Lakshmana alongside Rama and Sita. — Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026