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

“I believe that it enlightened, lit a fire under the guys,” DiGiorgio said, “to be a little excited for this week.”

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 28, 2025

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

Our strategy was not to argue with him in the field, but to contest the charges in court where we would have a chance to make our case before slightly more enlightened officers.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Vocabulary lists containing enlightened

Matilda

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

The Monroe Doctrine (1823)

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

The Enlightenment

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!