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enlighten

[en-lahyt-n] / ɛnˈlaɪt n /


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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He offers never-ending reruns of the same speech, and at this point it fails to entertain, enlighten or move anyone.

From Salon ● Jul. 31, 2026

Its narrative offers few character sketches, jumps around in time and digresses into subjects that distract more than they enlighten.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 2026

So can you enlighten us as to the great wisdom Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito share in their own concurrences?

From Slate ● Jun. 18, 2025

And I’ll just pray to the gods of the arts to enlighten me.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 22, 2024

Looks seem rather important, as does the ability to enlighten, disappoint, and control great numbers of people who always seem to be American.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

He thought about the country’s anger, prejudice and the way the news batters more than enlightens.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 18, 2023

What it shows us, what it leaves out and which important opportunities it misses are more concerning, all of which are why this hour disappoints more than it enlightens or activate the viewer.

From Salon ● Nov. 21, 2021

Poverty casts a dark shadow, while love enlightens the ambience.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 27, 2019

Must-see TV: When They See Us, Ava DuVernay’s miniseries about the lives at the heart of the Central Park Five, informs and enlightens audiences—but as Willa Paskin reviews, entertainment is not its core purpose.

From Slate ● May 30, 2019

“You are like he was,” Keith enlightens me, “and just like him, you were most likely to die the same way—a quarter of what you could have been....”

From "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak

It’s no crime to give even the most enlightened reader a leg up.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

When you see a really good player, that’s a rara avis — an enlightened individual.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

In some caves where enlightened paradise is depicted, it’s utopic: singers and dancers prancing in revelry.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

He’s on the board of the Museum of Modern Art in New York and received its David Rockefeller Award, given to an “individual from the business community who exemplifies enlightened generosity.”

From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026

This was particularly true in courts presided over by enlightened judges who had been appointed by the United Party.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Nevertheless, it’s an enlightening read in light of how dramatically war has changed in the last two-and-a-half centuries.

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026

"Together, these records offer a more complex and enlightening account of the Revolution, showing how its consequences were felt far beyond the Thirteen Colonies," Cunningham added.

From Barron's ● Jun. 22, 2026

Alexander said: "It was the single most enlightening conversation I've had in the last month on trade so I see why you hold him in such high regard."

From BBC ● Jun. 3, 2026

But the Glass year is already officially underway with two curiously enlightening projects this month.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2026

If enlightening, it is called “having an epiphany.”

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood




Vocabulary lists containing enlighten


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