enlightens

verb

present tense third-person singular of enlighten
1
as in informs
to give information to the lecturer at the planetarium enlightened us about the latest astronomical discoveries

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in educates
to provide (someone) with moral or spiritual understanding many people around the world have been enlightened by the teachings of Gautama Buddha

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 enlightens This style of theater both enlightens and entertains, each actor stepping out of the ensemble inside Kelleher’s direction that teeters on the edge of heavy-handidness without ever getting there. — David John Chávez, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026 The Harlem Book of the Dead, conceived and nurtured by Camille Billops, cherishes that remembrance and enlightens us as only memory can. — Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025 Hopefully, that prepares them to be active and engaged citizens of the democracy that George Washington fought so hard to secure and enlightens them to do something with their lives that will make the world a better place. — Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enlightens
  1. informs
  2. educates
  3. tells
  4. inspires
  5. advises
  6. instructs
Verb
  • That refusal to judge also informs Coon’s broader approach to acting.
    — Katherine Brodsky, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Livia’s unease informs her skepticism of politics; in linking the two, Kingsolver conflates class and culture, using the former as an excuse for what really just seems to be Livia’s constitutional conservatism.
    — Sam Worley, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of informs
Verb
  • Eton College, located in the English county of Berkshire a stone’s throw from Windsor Castle, educates boys aged 13 to 18 and accepts around 270 students per academic year.
    — Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Mary is the executive director of the Berry Center, a nonprofit that educates local communities about sustainable agriculture.
    — Courier Journal staff, Louisville Courier Journal, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of educates
Verb
  • The film, billed as a biographical dramedy, tells the story of a chaotic boardroom crisis at OpenAI in November 2023, when co-founder Altman was fired and then re-hired at the AI giant.
    — Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Ilya is looking for work as an assistant, and the professor, with his dandyish nerd arrogance, tells him to look at a paper he’s written and come back in a few days.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of tells
Verb
  • His wish to gift an original song to Los Tigres del Norte inspires the journey.
    — Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026
  • For their intimate ceremony, the groom wore a simple black tux, while Hepburn donned a tea-length dress that still inspires brides today.
    — Ariana Quihuiz, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of inspires
Verb
  • For other companies seeking to improve socio-economic mobility, Ellis advises collecting data and improving awareness first before introducing new schemes.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The most revealing moment at the Monaco Yacht Show may be the one in which someone advises a prospective client to walk away.
    — Christoph Lymbersky, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of advises
Verb
  • In this model, the device being signed into presents a code and instructs the user to enter it into a browser on a separate device.
    — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Beside the cigarette vendor, another man is pulling a rainbow fishing net he's woven from its display on the long branch of a tree and instructs a cruiser to crouch before him.
    — Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of instructs

Browse Nearby Words

enlightenment
enlightens
enlist
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Cite this Entry

“Enlightens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enlightens. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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