1
as in explanation
a statement that makes something clear
the candidate's so-called illuminations of his views on a number of controversial issues left many voters in the dark
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in brightness
the quality or state of having or giving off light
in that clime the illumination of the full moon on a clear night is so bright that you can practically read by it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in glow
the steady giving off of the form of radiation that makes vision possible
a steady illumination from the flashlight was all I had while changing the tire
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of illumination
Upcoming full moons These times mark the exact instant of full illumination.
—
Anthony Wood, Space.com, 9 Apr. 2026
The astronauts will be able to look at the same locations more than once with different angles of illumination, according to Young.
—Ava Berger, NPR, 7 Apr. 2026
Most overhead lights don’t offer enough illumination for these detailed tasks, and on red-eye flights, overhead lights can annoy your napping seatmate.
—Carin Ryan, Travel + Leisure, 7 Apr. 2026
Close curtains and blinds at night to reduce illumination that can disorient birds.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for illumination
Anthony Wood, Space.com, 9 Apr. 2026
The astronauts will be able to look at the same locations more than once with different angles of illumination, according to Young.
—Ava Berger, NPR, 7 Apr. 2026
Most overhead lights don’t offer enough illumination for these detailed tasks, and on red-eye flights, overhead lights can annoy your napping seatmate.
—Carin Ryan, Travel + Leisure, 7 Apr. 2026
Close curtains and blinds at night to reduce illumination that can disorient birds.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for illumination
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illumination
Noun
-
Slavery is an appropriate explanation for the Civil War; God’s will is not.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Armed men abducted former Malian minister Mountaga Tall from his home without explanation or arrest warrant, his family said.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
This setup will prove both aesthetically pleasing and functional, bringing welcome brightness to the yard at night.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Tackle the Light Fixtures Porch lighting attracts bugs and collects dust, dimming the brightness over time.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The steady light of Saturn will shine below the Great Square of Pegasus with Mars lower still on the eastern horizon, close to the glow of the Pleiades open cluster.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
1 May 2026
-
With recent collaborations with tech titans like NVIDIA and hardware experts like Kinova, AtkinsRéalis is building an ecosystem where the next generation of energy is managed by machines that never tire and fear nothing, even the invisible glow of a reactor core.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
History belies that interpretation, as prior to the amendment, common law prevailed and all (except Blacks, Amerindians and offspring of diplomats) were regarded as citizens at birth (one of the unenumerated rights of the Ninth Amendment).—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
-
But Serkis’ interpretation gives viewers closure.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
So, astronomers have come up with a compromise regarding the geometry of the sun's illumination angle on Venus' disk versus its distance from Earth to determine the time of Venus' greatest brilliancy.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
4 Apr. 2025
-
Family circles will have wrapped themselves in the holy pleasures of the great occasion, and everywhere the grand old holiday will have been introduced with all the majesty and brilliancy which clings around the hallowed name of Christmas.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American-Statesman,
23 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
The overhead lights were off, for ambience, but midafternoon daylight streamed through the windows.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
That was the night the lights went out in Orlando; the night everything changed – the series, the confidence level and perhaps even the future of the head coach and the front office.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
His grandfather’s illustrations of Indian history and culture adorn India’s constitution; the iconic four-lion emblem that is the government’s official letterhead and is found on the cover of each Indian passport was designed by one of his students under his supervision.—
Esha Mitra,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
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The documentary features original music by Matt Cannon, original illustrations by Jacob Walsh, animations by Mike Nixon, motion graphics by Eastwood Allen, and was edited by Jay Espindola (Art Attack!—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Based on a 1983 novel by Sapienza, Fuori is marked by Martone’s characteristically elegant dramatization, performed and embodied with an entrancing brilliance by a never-better Golino.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Some are good, some are less so, but nothing quite compares to the quiet, consistent brilliance of Japanese skincare.—
Anita Bhagwandas,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Illumination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illumination. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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