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Definitions

enlighten

[en-lahyt-n] / ɛnˈlaɪt n /


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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Some of those eagerly sought to enlighten their charges, while a few others grew to see – or claimed to see – an unbridgeable chasm between the ivory tower and mass cultural aspiration.

From Salon ● Apr. 19, 2026

Its narrative offers few character sketches, jumps around in time and digresses into subjects that distract more than they enlighten.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 2026

So can you enlighten us as to the great wisdom Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito share in their own concurrences?

From Slate ● Jun. 18, 2025

“The truth is, you are either here to enlighten or discourage.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 7, 2025

“We have some time before supper-hour. I hope that will prove sufficient to enlighten you.”

From "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs

The deeply felt elegance of Dandridge’s rendition of “Send in the Clowns” enlightens, even if belatedly, Hayden’s Fredrik, who grows in gravitas and, therefore, appeal.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 2, 2023

What it shows us, what it leaves out and which important opportunities it misses are more concerning, all of which are why this hour disappoints more than it enlightens or activate the viewer.

From Salon ● Nov. 21, 2021

But it thrives as an autonomous sphere, and as I age, it’s increasingly the one that succors, enlarges, and enlightens me most, when I have the energy and presence to bring to it.

From Slate ● Dec. 20, 2019

Poverty casts a dark shadow, while love enlightens the ambience.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 27, 2019

“You are like he was,” Keith enlightens me, “and just like him, you were most likely to die the same way—a quarter of what you could have been....”

From "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak

It also revealed that I’ve been fibbing to myself: Much as I consider myself enlightened, being unmanly in an era that worships machismo does bug me a little.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026

Every decision it makes about the pace and composition of new issuance, and every decision about whether to retire or not retire existing issues, is a legitimate choice made under enlightened self-interest.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

Long have well-meaning, enlightened Westerners assumed that the liberal values regnant in their democracies would arrest any attempt to revive antisemitism.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

When you see a really good player, that’s a rara avis — an enlightened individual.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

He had me put in the Mabel Mercer tape and then enlightened me about her meticulous phrasing.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

This columnist’s three years in the trenches were the toughest yet most enlightening three years of my career.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026

Yes, a book about the history of the bond market can be entertaining and enlightening.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

Nevertheless, it’s an enlightening read in light of how dramatically war has changed in the last two-and-a-half centuries.

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026

"Together, these records offer a more complex and enlightening account of the Revolution, showing how its consequences were felt far beyond the Thirteen Colonies," Cunningham added.

From Barron's ● Jun. 22, 2026

I am writing this book in the hope of enlightening readers about the journey an African-American takes in having to grow up and live under the laws and traditions of oppression.

From "March Forward, Girl" by Melba Pattillo Beals


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