1
2
3
4
as in example
one of a group or collection that shows what the whole is like chose one essay as an illustration of the high quality of the collection

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word illustration distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of illustration are case, example, instance, sample, and specimen. While all these words mean "something that exhibits distinguishing characteristics in its category," illustration applies to an instance offered as a means of clarifying or illuminating a general statement.

a telling illustration of Murphy's Law

Where would case be a reasonable alternative to illustration?

The meanings of case and illustration largely overlap; however, case is used to direct attention to a real or assumed occurrence or situation that is to be considered, studied, or dealt with.

a case of mistaken identity

When could example be used to replace illustration?

In some situations, the words example and illustration are roughly equivalent. However, example applies to a typical, representative, or illustrative instance or case.

a typical example of bureaucratic waste

When would instance be a good substitute for illustration?

While the synonyms instance and illustration are close in meaning, instance applies to any individual person, act, or thing that may be offered to illustrate or explain.

an instance of history repeating itself

In what contexts can sample take the place of illustration?

The words sample and illustration can be used in similar contexts, but sample implies a part or unit taken at random from a larger whole and so presumed to be typical of its qualities.

show us a sample of your work

When might specimen be a better fit than illustration?

While in some cases nearly identical to illustration, specimen applies to any example or sample whether representative or merely existent and available.

one of the finest specimens of the jeweler's art

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 illustration An illustration shows the alignment of the sun, moon and Earth during a lunar eclipse. Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 13 Mar. 2025 The inaugural episode is an illustration of an ambitious politician willing to throw a vulnerable population under the bus to test his theory of what centrism looks like in favor of play-acting bipartisanship. Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2025 Rind even redesigned the masthead of the paper to make her own name more prominent and, through the inclusion of an illustration of a merchant ship, signal a stronger endorsement of the principles of free trade. Alexandra Cox, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Mar. 2025 But along with the angry calls and Facebook messages, Vito’s has been praised and thanked for hanging the illustration. Lorena O'Neil, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for illustration
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illustration
Noun
  • These are lower-end bike computers that, sure enough, could roughly tally with the rectangular diagram seen in the FCC documentation.
    Andrew Williams, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
  • The company said Gemini 2.0 is now available as one of the models in the offering, and a new feature called Visual Q&A will allow doctors to search diagrams, tables and charts.
    Annika Kim Constantino,Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 4 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The most likely explanation for the shooting involves Gaitok versus the thieves.
    Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 30 Mar. 2025
  • Melissa says Shauna creates drama and there’s an explanation for all of the things that have been happening to her.
    Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 28 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • One of the most fascinating parts of the depiction of the trio is how both history and insecurity shape our friendships, and both Laurie and Jaclyn’s feelings are partly born of their own inner demons.
    Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 24 Mar. 2025
  • Their relatively young ages and social differences contribute to their doomed romance, but Brontë’s novel is more often defined by its depiction of cruelty and morality within the rigid English class system.
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Canada, for example, has announced billions of dollars in retaliatory tariffs.
    Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Especially in rural areas, PBS stations are the only outlets providing coverage for local events, for example high school sports, local history and culture content, candidate debates at every level of the election ballot and specialized agricultural news.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • With that new target, Chatterjee forecasts that shares of Super Micro, known for its servers powered with Nvidia graphics processing chips, could gain about 15% on the back of a better supply ramp from Nvidia’s Blackwell chips.
    Pia Singh, CNBC, 21 Mar. 2025
  • As usual, the effects are wicked, slotting YT and Lancey into 480p graphics that resemble flashy, expensive music videos from the heyday of T-Pain and Nigerian crew Mo’ Hits.
    Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 21 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • There’s a lot of watching, there’s a lot of interpretation.
    Lexy Perez, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2025
  • It was recorded as a tribute to Cole Porter, a giant of the Great American Songbook, and Porter’s simpler-than-usual lyric allows less room for vocal interpretation.
    Kristen S. Hé, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • What Happens Next? New Model Y Launch edition available ‘today’ – base models coming soon More 2026 Model Y inventory had arrived on the North Hollywood lot (see image above) since my last visit to the store.
    Brooke Crothers, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
  • The cost of maintaining that image became more difficult over time.
    Chris Yogerst, HollywoodReporter, 30 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The visual is a poignant portrait that mixes reality with sci-fi to tell the stories of grief of a place that once was.
    Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Tencent last week updated its AI model for generating 3D visuals — which can be used in games or for 3D printing — and released the full version of its Hunyuan T1 reasoning model.
    Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Illustration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illustration. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on illustration

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!