How to Use illuminate in a Sentence

illuminate

1 of 3 verb
  • A university study has illuminated the problem.
  • The three bulbs are dimmable and illuminate a warm soft glow.
    — Angela Belt, House Beautiful, 16 Dec. 2022
  • Then use that light to illuminate the world.
    — Mary Alice Russell, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Let this moon illuminate your next step, and then take it, even if your voice shakes.
    — Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 2 Nov. 2025
  • But the sea caves at night, illuminated by the light of the full moon?
    — Chelsey Lewis, Journal Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2023
  • Each team had two big chances to illuminate the scoreboard in the first half.
    — Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Be sure to get a glimpse at night, when the dome is illuminated.
    — Peter Cameron, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Alfred stands up to light one of the propane lanterns that illuminate the camp.
    — Dave Hurteau, Field & Stream, 25 Dec. 2020
  • The fluffy head has a green laser that shines outward on the floor to illuminate the path ahead.
    — Jim Rossman, Dallas News, 5 Aug. 2021
  • Jackie's smile would just illuminate the room and make those around her love her even more.
    — courant.com, 24 June 2018
  • At night, these lights will illuminate your space for up to 10 hours.
    — Kathleen Willcox, Popular Mechanics, 31 May 2022
  • Street lights illuminate beds of purple, red and white tulips.
    — Staff, Indianapolis Star, 23 Apr. 2020
  • The man had a gun in hand, and was using a cellphone to illuminate the door.
    — Brooke Baitinger, sun-sentinel.com, 5 Dec. 2019
  • The two divers set up a pair of dive lights to illuminate the cave, no doubt the first light the group had seen in days.
    — New York Times, 3 July 2018
  • Use it for good to illuminate and to help others who may be going through the same thing.
    — Kathleen Newman-Bremang, refinery29.com, 17 May 2021
  • The backyard fountain is on a timer, as are the lights that illuminate the yard.
    — Lisa Van Loo, azcentral, 3 May 2018
  • Add a range hood to keep odors and fumes at bay, while illuminating your cooking space.
    — Sarah Lloyd, Good Housekeeping, 13 Mar. 2020
  • The way ufotable illuminates the scenes in the movie is just so beautiful.
    — Billboard Japan, Billboard, 28 Oct. 2025
  • And many simply use sunlight as a means to illuminate the space.
    — Vanessa Powell, Men's Health, 6 Dec. 2022
  • Our driver took curves on two wheels, with no headlights to illuminate the road ahead.
    — Ken Harbaugh, The Atlantic, 15 Sep. 2025
  • There are green lights, front and back, which really work to illuminate dust.
    — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 14 May 2026
  • The rare blue moon illuminated the night sky in May, but when will the next full moon be?
    — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 1 June 2026
  • Bright, work-site lights illuminated the steel bones of what will be guest rooms or maybe a dining room.
    — Greg Jefferson, ExpressNews.com, 20 Mar. 2020
  • Puerto Madero is best at night, when the city's lights and bridges illuminate the area.
    — Harrison Pierce, Travel + Leisure, 1 Oct. 2023
  • When the sun starts to set, the owners like to turn out the lights and let the skyline illuminate their home.
    — Ryan Conner, Dallas News, 12 Apr. 2023
  • The room was dim aside from spotlights that illuminated the stage.
    — Adam Harris, The Atlantic, 8 May 2018
  • In other modes, the top is illuminated with a blue light.
    — Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Did the setting sun shine through from beneath and illuminate him?
    — Daisy Alioto, Longreads, 10 Aug. 2020
  • Because the moon is in the phase that is not being illuminated by the sun.
    — Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024
  • The tree came with warm lights that generously illuminate and were a breeze to set up.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 20 Oct. 2025

illuminate

2 of 3 adjective
  • Throughout the film, interviews reveal the pervasive abuses committed against infants, children and teens as well as illuminate groups and people who are working to stop it.
    — Kimber Myers, latimes.com, 2017-09-28
  • The problem is that, while the careful study of history can provide policymakers with powerful insights, incongruous comparisons can just as easily obscure as illuminate contemporary challenges.
    — Richard Fontaine, The Atlantic, 2017-10-03

illuminate

3 of 3 noun
  • The strategic tag is a spotlight, and spotlights burn as well as illuminate.
    — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 30 Mar. 2026
  • As soon as the door shuts, a special light illuminates, killing any germs that may be left from a prior visitor.
    — Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 29 Jan. 2026
  • The system uses mapping, cameras and radar to identify and monitor roads and traffic; when conditions are right, the system’s indicator lights switch from green to blue and a hands-free icon illuminates letting the driver know its OK to let go of the wheel.
    — Scotty Reiss, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Critics contend that news as narrative prioritizes human interest at the expense of structural analysis, dramatizes rather than illuminates, offers entertainment instead of public service, and produces trivial stories driven by commercial interests.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Mar. 2026
  • The disturbance of epistemological certainties evocatively matches—and illuminates—Giacometti’s varied practice.
    — Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'illuminate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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