illumined 1 of 2

adjective

as in illuminated
filled with much light illumined display windows in the street's many shops add much to the holiday glow

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

illumined

2 of 2

verb

past tense of illumine
1
as in lit
to supply with light small table lamps illumine the inn's dining room in a most romantic way

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in educated
to provide (someone) with moral or spiritual understanding readers of great literature are both entertained and illumined

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 illumined
Adjective
The backdrop is brightly illumined screens that hurt your eyes. — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2026
Verb
Fantastic, illumined by periodic excursions into surrealism, as when the crew of a mysterious UFO boards a transpacific Kahuna Airlines jet midflight. — Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illumined
  1. illuminated
  2. lit
  3. educated
  4. light
  5. brightened
  6. inspired
  7. bright
Adjective
  • The new building measures about 50% larger than the two old terminals combined, with higher ceilings and a pair of illuminated steel sculptures by Cliff Garten flanking the main entrance.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • After sunset, the performances will continue with illuminated parachute displays, aerobatics and additional aircraft.
    — Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of illuminated
Verb
  • Amenities and experiences Dimly lit, the ground floor feels like a cozy living room with Texas limestone, reclaimed wood, and comfy seating by a fireplace—a nice contrast to Austin’s persistently bright outdoors.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The whale’s gullet is flickeringly lit by a bioluminescent jellyfish that Jay sort of befriends.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of lit
Verb
  • In keeping with royal tradition, the young Duke of Kent was educated at Ludgrove (also attended by Prince William and Prince Harry), then Eton and later Le Rosey in Switzerland.
    — Stephanie Bridger-Linning, Vanity Fair, 10 Oct. 2026
  • On campus, students are educated on the importance of not touching or feeding the donkeys, which weigh about 500 pounds and can charge at humans when feeling threatened.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of educated
Adjective
  • In modern nuclear weapons, conventional explosives set off a fission reaction—the splitting of big atoms—whose intensity then ignites a fusion reaction that combines light atoms.
    — Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Birkin asked her seatmate why the company didn’t yet make a handbag that was bigger than the Kelly, but smaller and lighter than the Hermès’s Haut à Courroies, which her ex Serge Gainsbourg had carried for years.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of light
Verb
  • Soft yellow and tricolors of the French flag brightened the palette.
    — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The green is equally luscious in texture, made with chicken thigh and skin, but intensely herbaceous, brightened with parsley, cilantro, poblano and jalapeño.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of brightened
Verb
  • Eight finalists will compete in a series of challenges inspired by the skills required to make each and every order.
    — Mya Copeland, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Technology’s impact on the shrinking media landscape inspired The Devil Wears Prada 2, which reunited Tucci with costars Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and his real-life sister-in-law Emily Blunt.
    — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of inspired
Adjective
  • The skies over England were bright with auroras on October 18, 1848, as the Sun was entering a more active phase in its solar cycle.
    — Mike McRae October 15, New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Skies of bright October blue pave the way for not-so-distant November gray.
    — Dana Kelley, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of bright

Browse Nearby Words

illumine
illumined
illumines
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Illumined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illumined. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of jilt

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All