as in illuminated
filled with much light
illumined display windows in the street's many shops add much to the holiday glow
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in lit
to supply with light
small table lamps illumine the inn's dining room in a most romantic way
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in educated
to provide (someone) with moral or spiritual understanding
readers of great literature are both entertained and illumined
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Recent Examples of illumined
Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
Fantastic, illumined by periodic excursions into surrealism, as when the crew of a mysterious UFO boards a transpacific Kahuna Airlines jet midflight.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illumined
Adjective
-
Open-concept bathrooms with terrazzo vanities and illuminated mirrors blur the line between getting ready and hanging out, which suits the hotel’s social energy.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Mill Mountain Park is home to a zoo, wildflower garden, and hiking trails; its peak is topped with a nearly 90-foot-tall star, illuminated and visible for miles.—
Anne Olivia Bauso,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But Jones only lit a fuse that had been slowly burning in Romans for a lifetime.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
2 May 2026
-
That's when the lunar disk will pass opposite the sun in Earth's sky, appearing fully lit by the sun's rays.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Frankel said the correspondents' dinner suspect, who was highly educated and had no criminal record, had sent a letter explaining his actions to family members, who immediately contacted police.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Most of us have been indoctrinated rather than educated about wars of conquest.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
It must be said that the political opposition in El Salvador was close to non-existent, and Bukele had no trouble leaving it light years behind.—
Óscar Martínez,
The Dial,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The driver who fatally struck a grandfather in Midtown in 2024 was sentenced with 180 days of work release and 30 days of community service last week — a typically light sentence in California, where many vehicular manslaughter cases are charged as misdemeanors.—
Ariane Lange,
Sacbee.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The filmmakers have lightened and brightened their source material to a kid-friendly degree — even the English countryside, as glisteningly shot by George Steel, has never looked less overcast.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The rich buttermilk ranch dressing is brightened by fresh lemon juice and zest, which balances the tang of buttermilk and sour cream with the savory herb notes of chives and basil.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
From sea to mountains, ingredients cover a spectrum of Okayama specialties, with creations inspired by the subtlest flavor shifts of Japan’s 72 micro-seasons (recent highlights ranged from arrowhead fish, Chinese cabbage, and foie gras to Okayama Nagi beef and turnip).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 May 2026
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The rule was inspired by a February dispute between Vinícius Júnior and Gianluca Prestianni in which Prestianni covered his mouth with his jersey and allegedly used racial slurs.—
Jeremy Mikula,
NBC news,
2 May 2026
Adjective
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After being bossed by Paris Saint-Germain across two legs in the Champions League quarter-final, Slot insisted the future remained bright at Liverpool.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Scientists have documented that increasingly brighter nights are altering animal behavior, reproduction cycles and survival.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Illumined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illumined. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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