enlighten
verb
en·light·en
in-ˈlī-tᵊn 
en-
enlightened; enlightening
in-ˈlīt-niŋ
-ˈlī-tᵊn-iŋ,
en-
1
a
: to furnish knowledge to : instruct
enlightened us about the problem
b
: to give spiritual insight to
2
archaic
: illuminate
Synonyms
Examples of enlighten in a Sentence
I don't understand what's going on; can someone please enlighten me?
the lecturer at the planetarium enlightened us about the latest astronomical discoveries
Recent Examples on the Web
Honesty will enlighten and encourage you to change what’s confusing or stifling your progress.
—
Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2024
And in his mind, these books tended to obscure as much as enlighten.
—John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2024
Going in and enlightening these kids that these teachers are poisoning their minds.
—Chris Stanton, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024
More:Stevie Wonder surprises crowd with Obamas appearance: 'Music helps to heal us'
Sting turns storyteller
Pacing the stage with his professorial air, Sting chatted frequently, enlightening the crowd with stories behind many of his songs.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 18 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for enlighten 
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.
Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2024
And in his mind, these books tended to obscure as much as enlighten.
—John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2024
Going in and enlightening these kids that these teachers are poisoning their minds.
—Chris Stanton, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024
More:Stevie Wonder surprises crowd with Obamas appearance: 'Music helps to heal us'
Sting turns storyteller
Pacing the stage with his professorial air, Sting chatted frequently, enlightening the crowd with stories behind many of his songs.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 18 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for enlighten
Dictionary Entries Near enlighten
Cite this Entry
“Enlighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enlighten. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
enlighten
verb
en·light·en
in-ˈlīt-ᵊn
enlightened; enlightening
-ˈlīt-niŋ
-ᵊn-iŋ
: to give knowledge or understanding to : instruct
enlightened us about the problem
enlightenment
noun
-ᵊn-mənt
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share