1
as in to illumine
to supply with light
the light from a galaxy of flashing signs irradiates the heart and soul of Las Vegas
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to radiate
to throw or give off
irradiating an aura of supreme confidence on the playing field
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of irradiate
Clooney — face wrapped in a giant gray beard — plays Augustine, a scientist at an Arctic research station that's still standing after an unnamed global catastrophe leaves the Earth irradiated.
—
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Dec. 2025
Set two-hundred years after atomic armageddon, residents of Vault-Tec’s network of luxury fallout habitats begin to explore the radioactive territory outside their shelters and discover a nightmarish world of militant factions, irradiated creatures, vicious raiders, and feral monsters.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 16 Dec. 2025
The oldest dates back to 1970 and holds big, gnarly trees grown from 100 percent American irradiated nuts grafted onto Chinese rootstock.
—Eric J. Wallace, Outside, 24 Oct. 2025
After decades of technological and scientific advancements, irradiating food is now a common practice around the world.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for irradiate
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Dec. 2025
Set two-hundred years after atomic armageddon, residents of Vault-Tec’s network of luxury fallout habitats begin to explore the radioactive territory outside their shelters and discover a nightmarish world of militant factions, irradiated creatures, vicious raiders, and feral monsters.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 16 Dec. 2025
The oldest dates back to 1970 and holds big, gnarly trees grown from 100 percent American irradiated nuts grafted onto Chinese rootstock.
—Eric J. Wallace, Outside, 24 Oct. 2025
After decades of technological and scientific advancements, irradiating food is now a common practice around the world.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for irradiate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irradiate
Verb
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Geraldine walked over to Felix and Jane’s for fish soup, through long autumn shadows in the park, haze rising like smoke from the grass, illumined by the low sun.—
Tessa Hadley,
New Yorker,
25 Jan. 2026
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These fruits are tiny stars, planets in arm’s reach, little moons reddened by desire and cunning, the sun, at each step, illumines the petals of the dogwood flowers, their bright yellow is dimmed by no leaf, on their still-bare branches the first fissure in winter opens up by magic.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2025
Verb
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Administrator Crystal Ruth switches on dozens of heat lamps that radiate a yellow hue to warm at least 80 disabled, abandoned or formerly abused animals that call the rescue home.—
Julian Camejo,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
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In the following months, painful shocks radiated through her chest and back.—
Brett Kelman,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Once stationary, turn off all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights are not illuminated, reducing the risk of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
31 Mar. 2026
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Gomez opted for a true neutral petal mani, which illuminates her natural nail bed and adds the subtlest flush of pink.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The air guns used to emit those sound waves are responsible for near-constant underwater noise in the Gulf.—
Chiara Eisner,
NPR,
30 Mar. 2026
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That means delaying the overall transition to clean and renewable energy at a time when the United Nations Environment Programme warns that high-emitting countries are unlikely to meet their own targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.—
Tammy Webber,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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On Tuesday evening, City Hall was lit in the Transgender Pride flag colors — light pink, baby blue and white.—
Angela Palermo
April 1,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Apr. 2026
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The Birdfy misses most often when a bird is too close to the camera, poorly lit, or facing away from the camera.—
Jim Fisher,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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While the lunar far side will be only partially lit during the flyby, the lighting is set to cast long shadows that highlight craters, ridges, and slopes in greater detail.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Apr. 2026
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After some rain earlier in the day, a magnificent sunset broke through the clouds and cast a rainbow into the sky.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The war has sharpened that contest, by showing once again how vulnerable the global economy is to shocks emanating from the Middle East.—
Andy Browne,
semafor.com,
31 Mar. 2026
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That thud emanating from Spectrum Center could be damaging.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In 2024, the Pentagon released hundreds of reports of unidentified and unexplained aerial phenomena.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
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The cause of the woman's death has not yet been determined, and police have not released her name.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irradiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irradiate. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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