verb

• 1Make (something) visible or bright by shining light on it; light up.

  ‘a flash of lightning illuminated the house’

  More example sentences

  • ‘his face was illuminated by a smile’
  • ‘That day, it was the interior's turn to be brilliantly illuminated - by fluorescent lights carried up to the rafters by remote-controlled helium balloons.’
  • ‘A great flash of lightning illuminated the world outside, showing the trees dark against the night sky.’
  • ‘The next town was Boyes, just 29 km down the road and as we rode towards it we saw flashes of lightning illuminate the horizon.’
  • ‘At the top of the last little bump, they could see the shoulder-high summit sign illuminated by the first light of day.’
  • ‘Lightning flashed, illuminating the dark hollow face of a single man.’
  • ‘Kentis elects not to use artificial lighting, so the only time we see the characters is when a flash of lightning illuminates them and the sharks that are circling them.’
  • ‘The lightning flashes illuminated the pastor's face.’
  • ‘At the moment, in the third window down, a light shone brightly, illuminating a small patch of the garden below.’
  • ‘All movement was eradicated as a brilliant flash of blue-orange light illuminated their horrified faces.’
  • ‘A green fluorescent light illuminates a wall work that quotes the iconic graphic equaliser readout in homage to Donald Judd.’
  • ‘The heads will face one another topped with a helmet and lamp from which beams of light will illuminate the carriageways.’
  • ‘Then a storm begins, and the flashes of lightning briefly and beautifully illuminate a tree waving in the wind outside the window.’
  • ‘Overheard the sun shone brightly, illuminating the garden with a brilliant ray of light.’
  • ‘A flash of light briefly illuminated the hallway, pouring through the broken window and burning their eyes.’
  • ‘When the lights flashed it illuminated the sky and the whole area.’
  • ‘Great flashes of light illuminated the whole area, punctuated by the rumbling of thunder clouds.’
  • ‘Seems its only presence to the passing motorist is a narrow entrance road and a sign which wasn't illuminated.’
  • ‘He said oversized and illuminated signs were not appropriate in the area.’
  • ‘A golden light was shining down illuminating Isabelle's face.’
  • ‘The sun's morning light shone softly, illuminating her blue eyes.’

  Synonyms

  light, light up, throw light on, cast light upon, brighten, make brighter, shine on, flood with light, floodlight, irradiate

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  1. 1.1Decorate (a building or structure) with lights for a special occasion.
     ‘As the season approaches the countryside and towns light up and outlines of houses buildings and churches are illuminated.’
     More example sentences

     • ‘It appealed to the citizens of Bangalore to decorate and illuminate their houses and shops, feed the poor and offer prayers for the long life and prosperity of the Maharaja.’
     • ‘On Diwali 1619 the Golden Temple was illuminated with many lights to welcome home and celebrate the release of Guru Hargobind from imprisonment in Gwalior fort.’
     • ‘During this period, the minarets of all the mosques are illuminated with strings of electric lights.’
     • ‘During the Lantern Festival, most temples are illuminated by colorful lanterns of all shapes and sizes.’

• 2Help to clarify or explain.

  ‘placing the events of the 1930s in a broader historical context helps to illuminate their significance’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Their results were paradoxical and their discussion illuminating.’
  • ‘There is even the promise of positive theory, exemplified in a brief but illuminating discussion of Likert's notions of effective hierarchies.’
  • ‘Of this central Lockean teaching and Zuckert's meticulous and illuminating discussions of it, we hear not one word from Prof. Mitchell.’
  • ‘Arf contributed to the education of many of the present day mathematicians in Turkey, not only by his lectures but also through illuminating discussions in conferences and seminars.’
  • ‘He does so clearly, often illuminating the topic with discussion of classical texts.’
  • ‘Fellow blogger and super-cute Darian had some very funny, illuminating and revealing stories about the film he was currently working on.’
  • ‘I would like to thank him for illuminating discussions and for sending a manuscript prior to publication.’
  • ‘Like the rescue workers there, one waded in trying to find something that was alive, that would illuminate and explain what had happened.’
  • ‘Even here, in the first chapter, the reader is treated to probing analysis and illuminating discussion.’
  • ‘Cross-cultural research can help illuminate and clarify the social and developmental differences that exist across various cultures.’
  • ‘The discussion is often illuminating: for example, the discussion of the divine king, or of the marginalization of royal women in Benin.’
  • ‘Stark's discussion is lively, pointed and frequently illuminating.’
  • ‘Though MacDonald's discussion of this topic is interesting and illuminating, it left me unconvinced.’
  • ‘The editors emphasize making tacit knowledge itself explicit, rather than illuminating the process of creating and using valuable tacit knowledge.’
  • ‘The two books provide detailed but clear legislative history while illuminating the changing political process and values of the postwar West.’
  • ‘All of these essays are clear, well documented, and illuminating.’
  • ‘Questions were asked about black box, flight paths, crashes, missile technology, etc., and the answers were illuminating.’
  • ‘That last incident is particularly illuminating.’
  • ‘The commentary is particularly illuminating.’
  • ‘The text ends on page 710, the rest consisting of notes and index, and while the notes are sharp and illuminating, some of them amount to mini-essays.’

  Synonyms

  clarify, elucidate, explain, reveal, make clear, shed light on, cast light on, give insight into, clear up

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• 3Decorate (a page or letter in a manuscript) by hand with gold, silver, or coloured designs.

  ‘this is a carefully written, large-format manuscript illuminated by Leonardo Bellini’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Large illuminated letters became popular with the advent of hand-written manuscripts and official documents.’
  • ‘Thus, the museum began to acquire European sculpture and old master drawings and purchased an important collection of medieval and renaissance illuminated manuscripts.’
  • ‘He is a fine late Romanesque painter open to more modern influences, particularly those emanating from Byzantium, perhaps via Franciscan illuminated manuscripts.’
  • ‘Yet a current show there, on one of the grandest of all illuminated manuscripts, does both.’
  • ‘Two different worlds present themselves to the scholar of Hebrew illuminated manuscripts from Spain.’

  Synonyms

  decorate, illustrate, embellish, adorn, ornament, enhance, emblazon, highlight

  View synonyms