illuminating
adjective
il·lu·mi·nat·ing i-ˈlü-mə-ˌnā-tiŋ 
: providing insight, clarity, or understanding : highly informative
an illuminating remark/discussion
… much of the information is quite illuminating …
Glenn Kenny
Glenn Kenny illuminatingly adverb
Synonyms
- educational
- educative
- enlightening
- informational
- informative
- informatory
- instructional
- instructive
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Some of these missives are more illuminating, and funnier, than others. Eric Weiner, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2022 For unexplained reasons, the justices have stopped announcing their decisions from the bench, abandoning a tradition that is both ceremonial and illuminating. New York Times, 3 July 2022 The most illuminating and moving discussion takes place between these men in a prison cell. Richard Kuipers, Variety, 27 July 2022 Amidst all the infighting, departures, and new members, the film is an intimate and illuminating examination of the private toll of a very public life. Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 13 July 2022 That is, what the Department of Defense chose to include — and exclude — is both interesting and illuminating. David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, 26 June 2022 In the documentary’s most illuminating moments, the glow of Award Show J-Lo and the sweat of Dance Rehearsal J-Lo give way to allow occasional peeks into the real J-Lo, a woman who’s been swatting away asterisks on her record since the beginning. Helena Andrews-dyer, Washington Post, 16 June 2022 Whatever the power of the paintings — and that power is considerable — the doc is most illuminating as a tale of art establishment politics and the kind of groupthink that’s antithetical to the creative, nonconformist essence of art itself. Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 May 2022 Any surprises—both good and bad—about the company, department and role can come out of this question and be quite illuminating. Forbes, 15 Apr. 2022 See More
Eric Weiner, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2022 For unexplained reasons, the justices have stopped announcing their decisions from the bench, abandoning a tradition that is both ceremonial and illuminating. New York Times, 3 July 2022 The most illuminating and moving discussion takes place between these men in a prison cell. Richard Kuipers, Variety, 27 July 2022 Amidst all the infighting, departures, and new members, the film is an intimate and illuminating examination of the private toll of a very public life. Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 13 July 2022 That is, what the Department of Defense chose to include — and exclude — is both interesting and illuminating. David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, 26 June 2022 In the documentary’s most illuminating moments, the glow of Award Show J-Lo and the sweat of Dance Rehearsal J-Lo give way to allow occasional peeks into the real J-Lo, a woman who’s been swatting away asterisks on her record since the beginning. Helena Andrews-dyer, Washington Post, 16 June 2022 Whatever the power of the paintings — and that power is considerable — the doc is most illuminating as a tale of art establishment politics and the kind of groupthink that’s antithetical to the creative, nonconformist essence of art itself. Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 May 2022 Any surprises—both good and bad—about the company, department and role can come out of this question and be quite illuminating. Forbes, 15 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1644, in the meaning defined above
illuminating 1 of 2
adjective
as in instructive
providing useful information or knowledge the show is an illuminating tutorial on ways to prepare popular dishes using wholesome ingredients Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- instructive
- informative
- educational
- educative
- instructional
- informational
- enlightening
- detailed
- comprehensive
- informatory
- edifying
- beneficial
- helpful
- copious
- useful
- explanatory
- elucidative
- constructive
- practical
- worthwhile
- profitable
- gossipy
- newsy
- usable
- full
- chatty
- communicatory
- availing
- useable
- serviceable
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- uninformative
- unilluminating
- unenlightening
- uninstructive
- useless
- impractical
- unusable
- unhelpful
illuminating
2 of 2verb
1
as in illumining
to supply with light a floor lamp illuminates a living room rather nicely Synonyms & Similar Words
- illumining
- lighting
- brightening
- lightening
- irradiating
- illuming
- beaconing
- shining
- bathing
- highlighting
- glowing
- glistening
- dazzling
- emblazing
- beaming
- blinding
- spotlighting
- radiating
- gleaming
- glittering
- igniting
- floodlighting
- glaring
- kindling
- blazing
- incinerating
- enhaloing
- haloing
- beating (down)
- bedazzling
- flaming
- dazing
- burning
- firing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- darkening
- obfuscating
- obscuring
- dimming
- blackening
- covering
- dulling
- extinguishing
- shrouding
- veiling
- quenching
- dousing
- putting out
- snuffing (out)
- dowsing
2
as in explaining
to make plain or understandable the museum's exhibit on the refraction of light really illuminated the subject for us Synonyms & Similar Words
- explaining
- clarifying
- illustrating
- demonstrating
- elucidating
- interpreting
- simplifying
- explicating
- expounding
- demystifying
- construing
- analyzing
- spelling out
- getting across
- defining
- deciphering
- resolving
- unriddling
- solving
- specifying
- decoding
- clearing (up)
- unraveling
- disentangling
- untangling
- glossing
- annotating
- undoing
- unscrambling
- breaking down
- commentating
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- obscuring
- clouding
- confounding
- confusing
- obfuscating
- befogging
3
as in illustrating
to supplement with pictorial matter for the purpose of explanation or decoration no one knows for sure the identity of the artist who illuminated that medieval manuscript so beautifully Synonyms & Similar Words
- illustrating
- visualizing
- pictorializing
- imaging
- picturing
4
as in highlighting
to indicate the importance of by centering attention on the results of the statewide testing illuminated the need to place more focus on instruction in math and science Synonyms & Similar Words
- highlighting
- emphasizing
- stressing
- featuring
- punctuating
- identifying
- accenting
- accentuating
- foregrounding
- focusing
- spotlighting
- bearing down on
- pinpointing
- playing up
- promoting
- pressing
- advertising
- publicizing
- focussing
- pointing (up)
- making much of
- plugging
- boosting
- overplaying
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- understating
- underemphasizing
- minimizing
- disparaging
- de-emphasizing
- playing down
- discounting
- belittling
- toning (down)
5
as in inspiring
to provide (someone) with moral or spiritual understanding how man is illuminated by a higher spirit Synonyms & Similar Words
- inspiring
- educating
- enlightening
- illumining
- edifying
- enriching
- transforming
- uplifting
- nurturing
- illuming
- ennobling
- improving
- elevating
- lifting
- ensouling
- transfiguring
- regenerating
- exalting
- bettering
- renewing
- glorifying
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- perplexing
- puzzling
- confusing
- obscuring
- darkening
- clouding
- beclouding
- slow-walks
- slow-wave sleep
- slow-witted
- slowbacks
- slowbellies
- slowbelly
- slowcoaches
- slowdown
- slowdowns
- slowed
- slowed (down or up)
- slowed (down)
- slowed down
- slowed down or up
- slower
- slower than molasses
- slowest
- slowgoinger
- slowgoingest
- slowhound
- slowing
- slowing (down or up)
- slowing (down)
- slowing down
- slowing down or up