illuminating

adjective

il·​lu·​mi·​nat·​ing i-ˈlü-mə-ˌnā-tiŋ How to pronounce illuminating (audio)
: providing insight, clarity, or understanding : highly informative
an illuminating remark/discussion
… much of the information is quite illuminatingGlenn Kenny
illuminatingly adverb

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
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.
In one of the book’s more illuminating passages, Falconer describes how Marcel Duchamp went years without producing much of anything, preferring instead to play chess. Orlando Whitfield, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025 Taking place ahead of the film’s screening, the conversation — a last-minute schedule swap after a talk with Meryl Streep timed to the 30th anniversary of Out of Africa was canceled due to the Los Angeles wildfires — was equal parts sentimental and illuminating. Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Jan. 2025 Led by a performance of transfixing grace and subtlety from Ben Whishaw in the title role, the diaristic film spins compacted time into something free-flowing, expansive, illuminating and emotionally resonant, all of it achieved with elegant restraint. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2025 The charming and illuminating book about how the late Princess Diana undertook secret dance classes is being made into a new film. Simon Perry, People.com, 24 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for illuminating

Word History

First Known Use

1644, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of illuminating was in 1644

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Cite this Entry

“Illuminating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/illuminating. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

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