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.

He cut his political teeth there as a community organizer in the 1980s before representing the area in the Illinois state Senate, then winning a US Senate seat in 2004.

From Barron's • Jun. 18, 2026

“Some of them have called it, like, the college hack,” said Sara MacKenzie, director of admissions at the University of Illinois.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

What was in the water in Park Forest, Illinois?

From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026

Jonathan Pearce: Born in Illinois, this attacking midfielder actually played twice for the US in 2025 before switching allegiance to the country of his parents last November.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

The Illinois Central Railroad runs a thousand miles south to north down the middle of the United States.

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield