enlighten

verb

en·​light·​en in-ˈlī-tᵊn 

en-

enlightened; enlightening in-ˈlīt-niŋ 

-ˈlī-tᵊn-iŋ,

en-

transitive verb

1

a

: to furnish knowledge to : instruct

enlightened us about the problem

b

: to give spiritual insight to

2

archaic : illuminate

Synonyms

• acquaint
• advise
• apprise
• brief
• catch up
• clear
• clue (in)
• familiarize
• fill in
• hip
• inform
• instruct
• tell
• verse
• wise (up)

Examples of enlighten in a Sentence

I don't understand what's going on; can someone please enlighten me?

the lecturer at the planetarium enlightened us about the latest astronomical discoveries

Recent Examples on the Web

Honesty will enlighten and encourage you to change what’s confusing or stifling your progress. —Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2024

And in his mind, these books tended to obscure as much as enlighten. —John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2024

Going in and enlightening these kids that these teachers are poisoning their minds. —Chris Stanton, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024

More:Stevie Wonder surprises crowd with Obamas appearance: 'Music helps to heal us' Sting turns storyteller Pacing the stage with his professorial air, Sting chatted frequently, enlightening the crowd with stories behind many of his songs. —Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 18 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Kids Definition

enlighten

verb

en·​light·​en in-ˈlīt-ᵊn 

enlightened; enlightening -ˈlīt-niŋ 

-ᵊn-iŋ

: to give knowledge or understanding to : instruct

enlightened us about the problem

enlightenment

-ᵊn-mənt

noun