enlightenment
noun
en·light·en·ment
in-ˈlī-tᵊn-mənt 
en-
1
: the act or means of enlightening : the state of being enlightened
2
capitalized
: a philosophical movement of the 18th century marked by a rejection of traditional social, religious, and political ideas and an emphasis on rationalism
—used with the
3
Buddhism
: a final blessed state marked by the absence of desire or suffering
Examples of enlightenment in a Sentence
the search for spiritual enlightenment
His comments failed to provide enlightenment.
the enlightenment of the public through education
Recent Examples on the Web
Not only with beauty, of course; impatient rulers liked that Vajrayana promised enlightenment in one lifetime, as opposed to the usual Buddhist dozens, and Kublai Khan spread its teachings as far as his horsemen could ride.
—
Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 2 Jan. 2025
Like a Buddha that meditated too deeply and passed over enlightenment on the way to raving insanity, modern art had destroyed itself through excessive, nihilistic contemplation.
—Dean Kissick, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
Like most red-blooded Americans, Fukuyama rejected the sour realist theory of international relations, which sees history not as a progression toward enlightenment and peace but as a cycle of conflict.
—Richard K. Betts, Foreign Affairs, 21 Oct. 2010
With each revolution, the camera enters a darkened space, filled with visual noise, before emerging back into the light near the dwelling’s door, as if to achieve a form of temporary enlightenment before losing it again.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 25 Dec. 2024
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Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 2 Jan. 2025
Like a Buddha that meditated too deeply and passed over enlightenment on the way to raving insanity, modern art had destroyed itself through excessive, nihilistic contemplation.
—Dean Kissick, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
Like most red-blooded Americans, Fukuyama rejected the sour realist theory of international relations, which sees history not as a progression toward enlightenment and peace but as a cycle of conflict.
—Richard K. Betts, Foreign Affairs, 21 Oct. 2010
With each revolution, the camera enters a darkened space, filled with visual noise, before emerging back into the light near the dwelling’s door, as if to achieve a form of temporary enlightenment before losing it again.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 25 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for enlightenment
Dictionary Entries Near enlightenment
Cite this Entry
“Enlightenment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enlightenment. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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