illustration
noun
il·lus·tra·tion
ˌi-lə-ˈstrā-shən 
also i-ˌlə-
1
: something that serves to illustrate: such as
a
: a picture or diagram that helps make something clear or attractive
b
: an example or instance that helps make something clear
2
a
: the action of illustrating : the condition of being illustrated
b
archaic
: the action of making illustrious or honored or distinguished
Examples of illustration in a Sentence
The illustration on page 30 shows the parts of an engine.
a book with many photographs and illustrations
The illustrations that he provided in his speech were very effective.
They selected photographs to use for the illustration of the book.
Illustration is the key to good communication.
Recent Examples on the Web
Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Canva Financial issues, family policies and cultural shifts are generally cited as the main reasons for the decline in births, which Newsweek has broken down in detail here.
—
Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
Start with something easy, like a fridge magnet, tiny illustration, or cute DIY bookmark.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Sep. 2025
The Hilberts collected watercolors, oil paintings, and prints depicting everyday life in California plus major collections of animation and movie production art, and American illustrations.
—Amy Bentley, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Known for his love of ornithology, Reeves has created entire series devoted to birds, even spawning a TV show and book of bird illustrations.
—Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for illustration
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Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
Start with something easy, like a fridge magnet, tiny illustration, or cute DIY bookmark.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Sep. 2025
The Hilberts collected watercolors, oil paintings, and prints depicting everyday life in California plus major collections of animation and movie production art, and American illustrations.
—Amy Bentley, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Known for his love of ornithology, Reeves has created entire series devoted to birds, even spawning a TV show and book of bird illustrations.
—Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for illustration
Cite this Entry
“Illustration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/illustration. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
illustration
noun
il·lus·tra·tion
ˌil-əs-ˈtrā-shən
1
: the action of illustrating : the condition of being illustrated
2
: an example or instance used to make something clear
3
: a picture or diagram that explains or decorates
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