as in instructive
providing useful information or knowledge
an enlightening pamphlet about the major changes that consumers can expect from their cable and Internet service providers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in informing
to give information to
the lecturer at the planetarium enlightened us about the latest astronomical discoveries
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inspiring
to provide (someone) with moral or spiritual understanding
many people around the world have been enlightened by the teachings of Gautama Buddha
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of enlightening
Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
His classical, sometimes obscure tastes contrasted with Pomeranz’s appreciation for Hollywood blockbusters, making their debates supremely entertaining as well as enlightening.
—Andrew McGowan, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025
Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enlightening
Adjective
No other piece of music this year so eloquently captured fin de siècle wariness, the gnawing sense that a new, scary, and potentially enlightening world may be only two years away.
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
His classical, sometimes obscure tastes contrasted with Pomeranz’s appreciation for Hollywood blockbusters, making their debates supremely entertaining as well as enlightening.
—Andrew McGowan, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
These are the most noteworthy bullet points from our engaging and enlightening two-hour conversation.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enlightening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enlightening
Adjective
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But far more instructive are the lessons of the other five percent—the ones who are successfully scaling AI and achieving real structural change.—
Aytekin Tank,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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The case has been instructive because the judges handling it, Holmes and Crenshaw, have begun to test some of the evidence the government has gathered so far.—
Cristian Farias,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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At the intersection of truth, trust, and transparency is the journalist, the storyteller tasked with informing the public, holding power to account, and navigating a world in which fact is sometimes intermingled with fiction.—
Rodger Dean Duncan,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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The revelation came after host Sean Evans fact-checked whether or not the older kids on set had pranked Bateman by informing him that his character would die.—
Jessica Wang,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Ditto for another awe-inspiring scene which saw millions of soldiers and their horses floating upwards to the sky due to loss of gravity.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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Heather's video of the proposal quickly went viral, with many viewers commenting on the inspiring dynamic between the photographer and her ex-husband.—
Erin Clack,
PEOPLE,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Very informative, wants to do it the right way, takes coaching extremely well.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
18 Sep. 2025
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Marvel Avengers Expansion Impressions The biggest strength of the Marvel Multiverse Role Playing Game expansions continues to be succinct writing that pares down decades of comic book history into a short but informative chapter.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Don't believe what your eyes are telling you because the media is lying to you.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
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Others include cognitive empathy (accurately understanding a patient’s situation); communication skills (asking about patients’ lives and telling them our interpretations); and altruism (mobilizing these understandings for the patient’s benefit).—
Rachel Pearson,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Putting heart attacks for women in a nuanced context is essential, alongside educating each other on the symptoms.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
18 Sep. 2025
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Their flagship farm in Grand Bahama is not only restoring reefs, but also educating communities, training coral farmers, and attracting eco-tourism.—
Afdhel Aziz,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Gloria Lu is cosmetic chemist and co-founder of educational platform and skin-care line Chemist Confessions.—
Dani Hardman,
Allure,
15 Sep. 2025
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The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The bank is advising its clients to take that change seriously, Sarah Kapnick, its global head of climate advisory, told Semafor.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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One woman, who identified herself only as Alice, questioned why the county wasn’t advising individuals living here illegally to self-deport.—
Grace Hase,
Mercury News,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Enlightening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enlightening. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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