1
as in demonstrating
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in illuminating
to supplement with pictorial matter for the purpose of explanation or decoration
lavishly illustrated the monograph on Caravaggio with color plates
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in explaining
to make plain or understandable
the recent devastating fire illustrates the need for improved safety codes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of illustrating
The Jayhawks would go onto win 38-21, with that particular drive illustrating the dominance of Kansas’ ground game Saturday.
—
Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 1 Nov. 2025
But before the Dragon Ball anime, Toriyama worked on character designs for the Dragon Quest series, illustrating, among dozens of others, the instantly recognizable Slime seen in every entry in the series.
—Rhi Easby, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2025
Additionally, the Mets, who sport the second-highest payroll in baseball, did not even make the playoffs, illustrating that more money does not necessarily guarantee success.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Claudia Leonardi, whose visuals featured on Life is Strange, is illustrating.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2025
The Yore duffel bag was exhibited in its pattern pieces, illustrating the 78 parts and 72 hours of craftsmanship required for each creation.
—Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025
Bryant once scored 50 against Iverson’s Sixers in a regular-season duel, illustrating the mutual challenge between them.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 9 Oct. 2025
Trump’s post included a photo illustrating where the initial withdrawal line would be in relation to major cities like Rafah and Gaza City, as well as the Palestinian refugee camp Bureij.
—Callie Patteson, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 2025
The two teams’ journeys this year were proof the CLA concept can work on a team level while also illustrating some of the challenges with getting players to buy in.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 1 Nov. 2025
But before the Dragon Ball anime, Toriyama worked on character designs for the Dragon Quest series, illustrating, among dozens of others, the instantly recognizable Slime seen in every entry in the series.
—Rhi Easby, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2025
Additionally, the Mets, who sport the second-highest payroll in baseball, did not even make the playoffs, illustrating that more money does not necessarily guarantee success.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Claudia Leonardi, whose visuals featured on Life is Strange, is illustrating.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2025
The Yore duffel bag was exhibited in its pattern pieces, illustrating the 78 parts and 72 hours of craftsmanship required for each creation.
—Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025
Bryant once scored 50 against Iverson’s Sixers in a regular-season duel, illustrating the mutual challenge between them.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 9 Oct. 2025
Trump’s post included a photo illustrating where the initial withdrawal line would be in relation to major cities like Rafah and Gaza City, as well as the Palestinian refugee camp Bureij.
—Callie Patteson, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 2025
The two teams’ journeys this year were proof the CLA concept can work on a team level while also illustrating some of the challenges with getting players to buy in.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illustrating
Verb
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Earlier this month, the robot performed a classical dance routine and learnt the art of picking up tennis balls, demonstrating its dexterity and autonomy.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Oct. 2025
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She has continually innovated, elevated, and strengthened Variety with vision and passion, demonstrating an unparalleled ability to embrace challenges and drive success.—
William Earl,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Visitors who travel down a dirt road to The Hollow — named for the hollow-core concrete that made Mellor wealthy — can enter the compound through a dark, cavernous passage lined with neon signs illuminating maxims from the likes of Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, and Flynn.—
Arthur Allen,
Miami Herald,
3 Nov. 2025
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These meteors are particularly known for being rich in fireballs, illuminating the sky with large explosions of light and color, and can produce about five meteors an hour at their peak.—
Maia Pandey,
jsonline.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The sheriff rebutted these calls by explaining that due to the executive order signed by Braun in January and related directives from Attorney General Todd Rokita, he was forced to comply with federal immigration efforts.—
Noe Padilla,
IndyStar,
31 Oct. 2025
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And politicians often use them as a way of explaining why things are going in a wrong direction, instead of taking responsibility for whatever goes wrong, or simply to raise fear.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Thanks for clarifying, Michael.—
Megan Johnson,
Architectural Digest,
23 Oct. 2025
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The noncomedogenic formula retains face oil’s nourishing benefits while honing in on calming, clarifying, and evening.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Illustrating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illustrating. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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