1
as in demonstrating
to show or make clear by using examples
she illustrated her point with a story about her experiences as a field anthropologist
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in illuminating
to supplement with pictorial matter for the purpose of explanation or decoration
lavishly illustrated the monograph on Caravaggio with color plates
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in explaining
to make plain or understandable
the recent devastating fire illustrates the need for improved safety codes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of illustrating
From tiny proto‑dinosaurs like Marasuchus to giants like Plateosaurus and Mamenchisaurus, 'The Dinosaurs' runs the gamut, illustrating how dinosaurs evolved across millennia in response to a volatile world.
—
Jeff Spry, Space.com, 11 Feb. 2026
There are times, though, when the filmmaker makes his machinations too obvious, as with the too-cute cross-cutting illustrating how the characters are all caught in the same web.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
Imagery illustrating Black people as apes, monkeys and other primates has long been considered racist in America.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
Hoffman, Musk and Thiel are all former PayPal executives from the company’s early days, illustrating how small the tech sector can be.
—David Ingram, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
As this outbreak was being announced, 5-year-old Liam Ramos and his father were released from this very facility, illustrating exactly how individuals can move from a congregate outbreak setting directly back into the community.
—Krutika Kuppalli, STAT, 4 Feb. 2026
According to the company, the system allows multiple humanoid robots to function together autonomously, illustrating how teams of robots could be deployed and managed in real-world industrial environments, such as manufacturing facilities.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Jan. 2026
Jelou And The Rise Of Transactional AI One company illustrating this shift is Jelou, which recently raised $10 million to expand its transactional AI platform across the Americas.
—Ilona Limonta-Volkova, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
The 1,300-student California College of Arts had previously laid off 10% of its staff and instituted a series of budget cuts, illustrating the economic pressures facing small schools that are dealing with increasingly dire finances.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026
Jeff Spry, Space.com, 11 Feb. 2026
There are times, though, when the filmmaker makes his machinations too obvious, as with the too-cute cross-cutting illustrating how the characters are all caught in the same web.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
Imagery illustrating Black people as apes, monkeys and other primates has long been considered racist in America.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
Hoffman, Musk and Thiel are all former PayPal executives from the company’s early days, illustrating how small the tech sector can be.
—David Ingram, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
As this outbreak was being announced, 5-year-old Liam Ramos and his father were released from this very facility, illustrating exactly how individuals can move from a congregate outbreak setting directly back into the community.
—Krutika Kuppalli, STAT, 4 Feb. 2026
According to the company, the system allows multiple humanoid robots to function together autonomously, illustrating how teams of robots could be deployed and managed in real-world industrial environments, such as manufacturing facilities.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Jan. 2026
Jelou And The Rise Of Transactional AI One company illustrating this shift is Jelou, which recently raised $10 million to expand its transactional AI platform across the Americas.
—Ilona Limonta-Volkova, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
The 1,300-student California College of Arts had previously laid off 10% of its staff and instituted a series of budget cuts, illustrating the economic pressures facing small schools that are dealing with increasingly dire finances.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illustrating
Verb
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Several Indonesian originals placed among the quarter’s top-performing titles, led predominantly by Vidio’s content lineup, demonstrating how homegrown productions are becoming commercially viable drivers of subscriber acquisition and retention.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
11 Feb. 2026
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Their endurance has been proven in flight testing, demonstrating high subsonic speeds – 200+ nautical mile range at low altitudes and 60+ minutes duration.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Local communities are encouraged to assist in identifying and preserving these sites, as their involvement will aid archaeologists in safeguarding this piece of Irish history and illuminating the lives of a demographic that deserves to be remembered, as emphasized in the press release.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Sunrays strobed down through the water, illuminating layer upon layer of marine life, falling away to the ocean floor some 15 feet below.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Perardi emailed a photo explaining that it had been given to him as collateral.—
Matthew Bremner,
Rolling Stone,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Several board members cited the legal outcome in explaining their votes against Ben Gamla.—
Grace Gilson,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This could be clarifying for you both.—
Eric Thomas,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Start by clarifying the need, then apply the effort.—
Tribune Content Agency,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Illustrating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illustrating. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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