enlightened

ADJECTIVE

well-informed, tolerant of alternative views

Synonyms

STRONGEST

civilized knowledgeable literate open-minded reasonable sophisticated tolerant well-informed

STRONG

cultivated instructed learned liberal refined savvy sharp

WEAK

aware broad-minded forward-thinking hip to in the picture knowing what's what plugged in tuned-in wised up

Antonyms

STRONG

ignorant stupid

WEAK

confounded confused in the dark misled perplexed uneducated unenlightened uninformed

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.

While both statesmen were deists who believed in predestination and embraced the rational philosophy of the Enlightenment, they had different conceptions of what enlightened government meant.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

Many of the problems we face are self-inflicted, and they are fixable with proper allocation of resources, and enlightened and accountable leadership.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 10, 2026

Yes, the founders, for men of their era, were enlightened.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026

All the enlightened reformers in Europe were desperately trying to eliminate the peasant peculiarities and plebeian dialects that divided the peoples of their nations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

Here the gentlemen interposed with earnest petitions to be further enlightened on these two last-named points; but they got only blushes, ejaculations, tremors, and titters, in return for their importunity.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

Vocabulary lists containing enlightened

Matilda

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The Monroe Doctrine (1823)

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The Enlightenment

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