1
as in to illumine
to supply with light
a floor lamp illuminates a living room rather nicely
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Relevance
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2
as in to explain
to make plain or understandable
the museum's exhibit on the refraction of light really illuminated the subject for us
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3
as in to illustrate
to supplement with pictorial matter for the purpose of explanation or decoration
no one knows for sure the identity of the artist who illuminated that medieval manuscript so beautifully
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4
as in to highlight
to indicate the importance of by centering attention on
the results of the statewide testing illuminated the need to place more focus on instruction in math and science
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5
as in to educate
to provide (someone) with moral or spiritual understanding
how man is illuminated by a higher spirit
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of illuminate
Reflective and semi-transparent surfaces are found throughout the store, with Frazen highlighting shelving that illuminates a lineup of handbags and footwear on display.
—
Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2025
Investing in outdoor lighting is a simple solution to illuminate pathways and porches for safer steps.
—Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Conybeare, a classics scholar, intertwines learned exegesis with examples of Augustine’s human idiosyncrasies, offering illuminating analyses of the philosopher’s seminal texts and ideas—including his theory of original sin—and of the role that his heritage played in his self-conception.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Also visible in the picture is a bright green aurora, illuminating the Canadian sky near Edmonton.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for illuminate
Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2025
Investing in outdoor lighting is a simple solution to illuminate pathways and porches for safer steps.
—Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Conybeare, a classics scholar, intertwines learned exegesis with examples of Augustine’s human idiosyncrasies, offering illuminating analyses of the philosopher’s seminal texts and ideas—including his theory of original sin—and of the role that his heritage played in his self-conception.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Also visible in the picture is a bright green aurora, illuminating the Canadian sky near Edmonton.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for illuminate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illuminate
Verb
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Rev 21:10), an ark of salvation sailing through the waters of history and a beacon that illumines the dark nights of this world.—
Daniel Burke,
NPR,
9 May 2025
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The lighting illumines each river in brilliantly bright backdrop colors.—
Mark Swed,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Here, Renzi explains how long the doc was in the works, why family members didn’t participate, and how Marco of all people helped Sheen to get off crack.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
13 Sep. 2025
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At a time when contentious words dominate our conversations—think insurrection and fascism and fake news and woke—the need for dictionaries to chronicle and explain language, and serve as its watchdog, has never been greater.—
Stefan Fatsis,
The Atlantic,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The timing, although likely coincidental, illustrated the dilemma Democrats currently face.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Sep. 2025
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Still, Carney’s lyrical piece, a sort of prose poem-flash fiction hybrid, written from the point of view of an unborn baby, illustrates a womb space at once protective and cage-like.—
Manuel Muñoz,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The win highlighted the robot’s endurance and hinted at broader applications in sports and beyond.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Sep. 2025
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Recent news reports highlight several incidents where this sort of data leak has already happened.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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He was inspired to start the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness following his surgeries and the nonprofit's aim was to educate the public about organ and tissue donation.—
Stephanie Kaloi,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
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Instead of outsourcing all financial decisions to an advisor or ignoring them out of fear, entrepreneurs are taking small, intentional steps to educate themselves.—
Alejandra Rojas,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Ben Hania lights a connective fuse between documentary and drama, using the actual recordings of the panicked girl and the emergency workers — the latter played by actors who hold the screen with pulsing immediacy.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Sep. 2025
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Everyone's got something that lights them up.—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Later Cox said a person of interest was in custody and being interviewed, and clarified that the person was not the man booked on the obstruction charge.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
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Of the 118 valid responses from patients, 108 indicated the ChatGPT summaries clarified details about the original report.—
Kate Ruder,
NPR,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In recent years, as American moms have been enthusiastically encouraged to breastfeed, many experts have emphasized that making sure infants are fed, period, should be parents’ highest priority.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
14 Sep. 2025
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Psychologist Marshall Rosenberg, the founder of Nonviolent Communication, emphasized that beneath most criticisms or demands lies a universal human need.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Illuminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illuminate. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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