illuminating

1 of 2

adjective

il·​lu·​mi·​nat·​ing i-ˈlü-mə-ˌnā-tiŋ How to pronounce illuminating (audio)
Synonyms of illuminatingnext
: providing insight, clarity, or understanding : highly informative
an illuminating remark/discussion
… much of the information is quite illuminating …—Glenn Kenny
illuminatingly adverb

illuminating

2 of 2

present participle of illuminate entry 1

Synonyms of illuminating

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Adjective

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Examples of illuminating in a Sentence

Adjective the show is an illuminating tutorial on ways to prepare popular dishes using wholesome ingredients
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
To rise above the noise, our staff will continue to use their expertise to serve up only the most interesting and illuminating ideas. — Jeanna Bryner, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026 Waiting four days may have been fatal to the recovery of some video that could have been more illuminating. — Michael Ruiz , Kelley Kramer, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026 The most recent fundraising report was the most illuminating on the campaigns’ spending, given the proximity to the mid-August primary. — Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 17 July 2026 Yet the real-life conversations that this experience prompts turn out to be moving, surprising, and deeply illuminating. — Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for illuminating

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from present participle of illuminate entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1644, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of illuminating was in 1644

Rhymes for illuminating

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Browse Nearby Words

illuminati
illuminating
illuminating engineer
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Cite this Entry

“Illuminating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/illuminating. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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