illuminating

adjective

il·​lu·​mi·​nat·​ing i-ˈlü-mə-ˌnā-tiŋ 

: providing insight, clarity, or understanding : highly informative

an illuminating remark/discussion

… much of the information is quite illuminating …

—Glenn Kenny

illuminatingly adverb

Synonyms

• educational
• educative
• enlightening
• informational
• informative
• informatory
• instructional
• instructive

Examples of illuminating in a Sentence

the show is an illuminating tutorial on ways to prepare popular dishes using wholesome ingredients

Recent Examples on the Web

The most illuminating of his support was the sharing of a social media post from Sister Helen Prejean in September 2017. —Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 8 May 2025

Yet his visual language has become a defining and illuminating portrait of his times: an older version of New York where people like Tabboo! could not just exist, but become. —José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 8 May 2025

Structural changes — and the effect on Howe The most illuminating answers Eales offered related to the structural changes in the hierarchy. —Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 17 July 2024

More illuminating—and alarming—are Loch’s responses to his brother. —Judy Berman, TIME, 17 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1644, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for illuminating

• accelerating
• accentuating
• accommodating
• accumulating
• adjudicating
• administrating
• affiliating
• agglutinating
• alienating
• alleviating
• amalgamating
• ameliorating