enlightened

ADJECTIVE

well-informed, tolerant of alternative views

Synonyms

STRONGEST

civilized knowledgeable literate open-minded reasonable sophisticated tolerant well-informed

STRONG

cultivated instructed learned liberal refined savvy sharp

WEAK

aware broad-minded forward-thinking hip to in the picture knowing what's what plugged in tuned-in wised up

Antonyms

STRONG

ignorant stupid

WEAK

confounded confused in the dark misled perplexed uneducated unenlightened uninformed

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.

You might be tempted, with every faraway look in Christian Petzold’s subtly moving “Miroirs No. 3,” to hope for that soothing, enlightened release so often served as catharsis in tales of loss and healing.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

Many of the problems we face are self-inflicted, and they are fixable with proper allocation of resources, and enlightened and accountable leadership.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 10, 2026

Yes, the founders, for men of their era, were enlightened.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026

All the enlightened reformers in Europe were desperately trying to eliminate the peasant peculiarities and plebeian dialects that divided the peoples of their nations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

Prison administration couldn’t help being a despotism, but it could be an enlightened one.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

Vocabulary lists containing enlightened

Matilda

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The Monroe Doctrine (1823)

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The Enlightenment

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