illuminated 1 of 2

adjective

as in illumined
filled with much light an intensely illuminated room is usually needed for producing live television shows

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illuminated

2 of 2

verb

past tense of illuminate
1
as in lit
to supply with light a floor lamp illuminates a living room rather nicely

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2
as in illustrated
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 pictorialized
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 highlighted
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 inspired
to provide (someone) with moral or spiritual understanding how man is illuminated by a higher spirit

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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 illuminated
Adjective
From the Rodeo Drive entrance, the store opens into a bright accessories area where handbags are spaced along illuminated stone shelves and glass-and-metal vitrines. — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026 The team's official drumline, The Pack, pounded on illuminated drums during quarter breaks, while Skye, the team's sassy, blue-haired lioness mascot, jumped onto the T-shirt cannon to launch souvenir merchandise high into stadium seats. — Odette Yousef, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026 Bakos said the overall effect of the mirrors would depend on the reflectiveness of the illuminated surface and the cloudiness of the sky. — Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026 The energy was later brought back up, getting fans back on their feet, when Karol G and her dancers started making their way to the illuminated stone pool on the B-stage. — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 16 Aug. 2026 Holy Land’s brightly illuminated cross atop Pine Hill in Waterbury has been a landmark to I-84 travelers all along. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 16 Aug. 2026 Six illuminated lotus flowers will grace the water of the Paddleboat Quarry, inviting Naperville Riverwalk visitors to have a meditative experience, according to ArtForum Treasurer Erin Franczyk. — Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026 Near the intersection of 11th Street and Washington Avenue, Hoffmann stopped and stared at the illuminated building across the street — the Miami Beach Police Department. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2026 While a thin sliver will remain illuminated by direct sunlight, most of the lunar surface will appear dramatically darkened with a subtle reddish-orange glow — reminiscent of a total lunar eclipse seen across North America on March 3. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Verb
Thousands of young Orthodox Christians gathered in Romania’s capital for a candlelit procession that illuminated a trail from the giant National Cathedral to Patriarchate Hill, a historic site considered sacred to Romanian Orthodoxy. — ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026 At night, few lights are turned on inside these beautiful slabs; of the twelve units in each building, only one or two are illuminated, meaning that most people with residences there live elsewhere in the city. — Jonathan Flint, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026 Besides the world’s first Ferris wheel, the grounds included 200 gleaming white buildings illuminated at night by 160k lightbulbs. — Alison J. Stein, HubSpot, 1 Sep. 2026 Her second look, not yet revealed, has both solid and patterned versions, and is illuminated in glow dawn and enoki hues. — Katie Abel, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026 Rather, the crisis of the Lincoln has illuminated a pattern of callousness and cruelty toward military personnel, people who have sworn an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. — Andrea N. Goldstein, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026 During the friendship arc, fans can see Hawkins High School, while in a darker moment, windows will be illuminated with the images of scurrying rats. — Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026 For example the light pollution from a town illuminated by the beam will be ten to 20 times brighter than from the artificial lighting in that same town. — Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026 As a result, most of the Sturgeon Moon could deepen into muted shades of copper, rust and brown, while a slim silver edge remains illuminated by direct sunlight. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 24 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illuminated
  1. illumined
  2. lit
  3. illustrated
  4. highlighted
  5. inspired
  6. light
  7. explained
  8. emphasized
Adjective
  • The backdrop is brightly illumined screens that hurt your eyes.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of illumined
Verb
  • The child, police said in previous testimony, was not wearing a safety grounding wrist strap that could have prevented the static spark that lit the flames.
    — Kristen Jordan Shamus, Freep.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Many from the Liberty and William Jewell communities, including Barnett’s high school coaches, lit a candle in his name.
    — PJ Green August 30, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of lit
Verb
  • The sea change coming for the Angels franchise felt due, illustrated each night at Angel Stadium by the waves of shirtless fans in the upper decks imploring Arte Moreno to sell the team.
    — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • More recently, Schumer announced that she was set to release her first children’s book — A Joke of Her Own, illustrated by Beth Mills — which is inspired by her own childhood and teaches kids about hard work and embracing comedy.
    — Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of illustrated
Verb
  • Indiana Senator Jim Banks also highlighted the Indianapolis operation’s role in military engine production.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Wall Street Journal columnist Elizabeth Bernstein recently highlighted this eloquently.
    — David H. Rosmarin, Time, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of highlighted
Verb
  • Though the hotel burned down twice, it was rebuilt following the more recent fire of 1925; its present-day structure is inspired by Rome’s Villa Medici.
    — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Oral healthcare doesn’t often make the global news cycle, but earlier this week Dyson added a new gadget to its product lineup that inspired a flurry of headlines.
    — Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of inspired
Adjective
  • Chelsea, despite missing out on a late move for Lamine Camara, and Tottenham have improved considerably, but that is more a reflection of previous dysfunction — and a lighter schedule — than inspired recruitment.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • For example, the original pipe was aluminum, which is lighter and easier to move into the steep canyon but is more susceptible to breaking.
    — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of light
Verb
  • Judge William Sullivan, who is presiding over the Clancy trial, explained the prosecution's burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt after receiving a new note from the jury Thursday afternoon.
    — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • After receiving assessment results, a teacher customizes a curriculum built for a student’s needs, Tanner explained.
    — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of explained
Verb
  • Lisa is seeing what this experience could be for her, which only emphasized just how bad her current situation on RHOSLC is.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Morgan Stanley's wrapup of the recent World Robot Conference in Beijing emphasized a preference for leading parts makers, including Shuanghuan.
    — Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of emphasized

Browse Nearby Words

illuminate
illuminated
illuminates
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Cite this Entry

“Illuminated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illuminated. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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