ENLIGHTEN Synonyms: 65 Similar and Opposite Words

enlighten

verb

in-ˈlī-tᵊn

Definition of enlighten

as in to inform

to give information to the lecturer at the planetarium enlightened us about the latest astronomical discoveries

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to educate

to provide (someone) with moral or spiritual understanding many people around the world have been enlightened by the teachings of Gautama Buddha

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 enlighten Kevin Dickinson The Learning Curve Every era believes it is enlightened. — Big Think, 31 July 2026 This facility really enlightened the physics of that operation considerably. — Ricky Sayer, CBS News, 30 July 2026 Their aim was to enlighten us about language’s very real and powerful, if mostly invisible, effects. — Emily Eakin, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026 Madonna has been trying to enlighten us since 1998’s Ray of Light, but back then—and for most of her career—her personal quest was tied to an artistic one. — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for enlighten

Recent Examples of Synonyms for enlighten

Verb

The report stated the test was not aimed at any country or specific target, and that relevant governments were informed ahead of time.

— Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026
The mass sampling and real-time information gathering on prediction markets can extend their utility to informing business decisions, according to Zitzewitz.

— Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of inform

Verb

Their legacy lives on in our mission to connect, educate, mentor and champion talent at every stage of a career.

— Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
On Tuesday, both the NBA and WNBA announced a responsible gaming campaign, partnering with National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) to educate fans about sports betting risks.

— Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of educate

Verb

Some economists, including researchers at the Minneapolis Fed, argue the data don’t tell such a clean story.

— Molly A. Wallace, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
The company agrees with skeptics like the NFL that justices must eventually opine on whether states and tribes should regulate its sports event contracts as sports bets, a Supreme Court litigator working with Kalshi told Semafor.

— Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of tell

Verb

All inspired by Rise & Fall’s signature knitwear and outerwear, the designs recast the language of clothing in sculptural forms, bringing together the softness of textiles and the presence of jewelry.

— Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
We were inspired from how many great discoveries that went on to revolutionize science and medicine came about from looking around in nature and finding these odd things—PCR [polymerase chain reaction] tests, for example, or CRISPR.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of inspire

Verb

Engineering textbooks advise practitioners to limit any settlement to around 1 to 3 inches, depending on the soil.

— Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
In a social media post, police advised people nearby to stay alert, be aware of their surroundings and keep children and pets close.

— Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of advise

Verb

Defense lawyer Lawrence Obonyo, who represents Mackenzie and almost all of the others convicted, said he had been instructed to appeal.

— Jefferson Kahinju Reuters, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
Claude had been instructed never to log in, create accounts, enter personal information, make purchases or submit anything destructive.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026