the Enlightenment

noun

: a movement of the 18th century that stressed the belief that science and logic give people more knowledge and understanding than tradition and religion

Examples of the Enlightenment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That will require us – all of humanity – to call on all the great thinking that got us out of the dark ages, into the Renaissance, through the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution, and into the modern age. —Eli Amdur, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025

The secular mindset that emerged from the Enlightenment — the belief that religion would fade while science delivered heaven on earth — has failed. —Mike Woodruff, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025

But at their core, pockets represented functional clothing, and women’s dress was meant to be decorative; these ideas crystallized during the Enlightenment era, which also led to men ditching their heels and more ornate adornments, and instead adopting more sober, standardized dress. —Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2025

For me, that’s about the Enlightenment era of reading and expanding your horizons, which shows an openness. —Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 6 Feb. 2025