illuminations

noun

plural of illumination
1
as in interpretations
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

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2
as in glows
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of illuminations There is also plenty of pomp, along with bells, bonfires, and illuminations. — Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 3 July 2026 The citywide experience will consist of landmark illuminations, exhibitions, immersive fan activations, and collaborations with local communities and businesses. — Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 Crossed spears of sunlight fall into it but only so far, and beneath their yellow illuminations Brith can see depths and more depths of water, darkening to obscurity. — Maggie O’Farrell, Literary Hub, 2 June 2026 Too bad Illinoisans will not join in the illuminations at home for our nation’s semiquincentennial — at least not legally. — Brad Weisenstein, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026 Fox News Digital previously reported that the FAA was investigating a similar incident after the crew of a National Guard Black Hawk helicopter reported receiving illuminations by a green laser near Hector International Airport in North Dakota in 2025. — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026 Expressly used for events, the station’s Platform 3 morphed into the Edo-Tokyo Museum, complete with exhibitions, illuminations, food tastings, and the sense that both the Japanese capital’s past and future have always been at home in Ryogoku. — Jonathan Delise, Travel + Leisure, 31 Jan. 2026 One of the most magical ways to experience the Eiffel Tower doesn't require a ticket; simply watch the nightly illuminations, when the landmark sparkles for five minutes every hour, on the hour. — Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026 Magnetic storms brought on by solar activity, such as solar flares (explosions on the Sun) or coronal mass ejections (ejected gas bubbles), are responsible for these natural light illuminations. — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 12 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illuminations
  1. interpretations
  2. glows
  3. explanations
  4. lights
  5. illustrations
  6. glares
  7. gleams
Noun
  • Brands like Billy Reid, Officine Générale and Sandro each offer more contemporary interpretations, with softer leather, less bulk and details that reflect the personality of the individual brand.
    — Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • But the respite after the signing was short-lived, with Washington and Tehran seemingly adopting different interpretations of the language used in the interim agreement.
    — Tiago Ventura, Time, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of interpretations
Noun
  • Hannah Waddingham glows at Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso FYC event at Hammer Museum on July 29 in Los Angeles.
    — People Staff, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Skywatchers should look north during the darkest hours; smartphone cameras can aid in detecting faint glows.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of glows
Noun
  • Each of these explanations could have been folded into other lines of dialogue or phone calls or literally anything else instead of being spelt out alphabetically so Twitter can’t point out a plot hole.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • While official explanations have been absent regarding Aubrey’s departure and the circumstances that preceded it, its mysterious nature evokes the similarly abrupt exit of his predecessor, Shivaun Nurre, three years ago.
    — Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of explanations
Noun
  • For the best experience, head somewhere away from city lights, allow your eyes 20 to 30 minutes to adapt naturally to the darkness and look up.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Under bright lights inside the Denver Zoo's animal hospital, 12-year-old Sumatran tiger ChloJo lies on an operating table Tuesday morning as veterinarians remove a small mass from her back.
    — Kelly Werthmann, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of lights
Noun
  • Teaming with Eva Byrne for the book’s illustrations, Andrews and Hamilton hope their story inspires young readers to find their voice.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The mods think Reddit might have designated the website—and thus any post using its content for explanatory illustrations—as spam.
    — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of illustrations
Noun
  • Any glares or slight changes in the atmosphere created by the solar panels could become catastrophic, resident Sam Rolph said.
    — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 16 July 2026
  • Astronomers have spotted four dead star white dwarf stars playing a game of cosmic hide-and-seek, all four of which were hiding in the glares of red dwarf companion stars.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 14 July 2026
Definition of glares
Noun
  • The first hotel opened by the Orient Express group, its design gleams with contemporary comfort while still referencing the history of this world-famous train.
    — Megan Rose Murray, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
  • Yorkshire Pecorino gleams pale, smooth, and yogurty.
    — Olivia Potts, Longreads, 28 May 2026
Definition of gleams

Browse Nearby Words

illumination
illuminations
illuminative
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Cite this Entry

“Illuminations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illuminations. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on illuminations

Nglish: Translation of illuminations for Spanish Speakers

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