UNENLIGHTENED Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

unenlightened

adjective

Definition of unenlightened

as in benighted

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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 unenlightened Instead of transitioning these communities into new industries or providing them with the tools to adapt, our legislators have chosen to obscure coal and its workers, treating them as relics of a bygone, unenlightened and even primitive era. — Daniel A.c. McBride, Baltimore Sun, 1 June 2025 Dirty work is often assumed to be unenlightened work, but wildland firefighters have a unique empirical understanding of natural forces. — M. R. O’Connor, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025 Some are downright funky in their retro prejudices, others more quaintly unenlightened. — Lauren Bravo, refinery29.com, 3 Jan. 2024 Wilson, therefore, was not introducing the ideas of world order and human rights to a collection of previously anarchic states and unenlightened polities. — Walter Russell Mead, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2020 See All Example Sentences for unenlightened

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unenlightened

Adjective

Despite the claims of any number of charlatans who prey on the American brand of cuddly benighted ignorance, the universe will not manifest an alternate reality for anyone who simply wishes for it with sufficient longing.

— Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Could Kleist’s conjecture provide a key to their seeming vacancy, their resignation, their helplessness, suggesting that in their benighted condition lies spiritual perfection?

— Matthew McLean, Artforum, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of benighted

Adjective

Taken together, the rules that made up the Way offered a code of conduct for daring greatly, assessing yourself honestly and avoiding idiotic risk.

— Daniel Duane, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2026
With just six 30-minute episodes per season (by design), some of these idiotic run-on stories inevitably hit the cutting room floor.

— Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of idiotic

Adjective

There’s no law of unintelligent matter to overrule divine Mind’s intelligent, loving control.

— The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Nov. 2026
The Debbie and Thom switch-up Ellis often alludes that Thom (Campbell) is unintelligent in the novel, with Bret telling readers that his best friend isn’t picking up on clues that his girlfriend, Susan, and Robert are romantically involved.

— Entertainment Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of unintelligent

Adjective

Ira, in my very uneducated opinion, there are eight teams in the East that could finish first, and any of those eight could be eighth.

— Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026
As a peripheral community grows around them, this lawless terrain is suddenly subject to boundaries and contracts and taxes; both uneducated and illiterate, Isak and Inger are ill prepared for such societal evolution.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of uneducated

Adjective

Understandably, Penn struggles to hold these disparate points of focus together with a performance that vacillates between disarmingly dopey and almost willfully ignorant of the realities of the 2000s media landscape.

— Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 17 Oct. 2026
Some people in the White House treated Jackie as a cipher, ignorant of almost everything happening.

— Laurence Leamer, Vanity Fair, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of ignorant

Adjective

The plot is carried out to horrific proportions, but the subjects are so utterly moronic that the gag stops being amusing.

— Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026
Making this film was about bringing my friends together in the middle of that vast, moronic darkness in order to concentrate on images and words that could still mean something to us.

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of moronic

Adjective

Then the reviews, of course, completely dismissed me as being like some old dumb blonde thing.

— CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2026
Basically all that's left for the dumb human to do when using the all-new Arrowmax Arrowspace S1 electric smart driver is dropping the bit in the tip and holding the driver steady – the S1 takes care of everything else.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of dumb

Browse Nearby Words

unendurable

unenlightened

unenlightening

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“Unenlightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unenlightened. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of unenlightened

adjective

Example Sentences

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