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
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
Except, unlike the expansion that tech gave to the enlightened before, the institutions of today, such as media, science, and education, are being slowly destroyed by technology.
—
Kara Swisher, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2025
There is so much to Scott’s life, a few villains too, in 90 minutes that thrill and enlighten and remind us how rough women had it in most fields in the early decades of last century (and still true for too many).
—Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2025
This can make browsing through social media after news like the John Lithgow casting appear incredibly divisive, with many people hunkering down on their opinions and portraying HBO’s decision as nothing short of awful or enlightened.
—Callum Booth, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
On the other hand, those who make it are upheld as virtuous and enlightened.
—Adam Chandler, TIME, 21 Jan. 2025
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.
Kara Swisher, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2025
There is so much to Scott’s life, a few villains too, in 90 minutes that thrill and enlighten and remind us how rough women had it in most fields in the early decades of last century (and still true for too many).
—Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2025
This can make browsing through social media after news like the John Lithgow casting appear incredibly divisive, with many people hunkering down on their opinions and portraying HBO’s decision as nothing short of awful or enlightened.
—Callum Booth, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
On the other hand, those who make it are upheld as virtuous and enlightened.
—Adam Chandler, TIME, 21 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enlighten
Cite this Entry
“Enlighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enlighten. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.
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