1
as in to educate
to provide (someone) with moral or spiritual understanding
a favorite line of an Eastern Church hymn reads, "through fast-closed doors Thou camest Thy Disciples to illume"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to illumine
to supply with light
during the vigil service the church's Gothic interior was illumed by the light of hundreds of tapers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illume
Verb
-
Lin was educated in China and Europe, but lived in the U.S. for three decades.—
Emily Feng,
NPR,
5 July 2025 -
In 2021, the city created a civilian community liaison position to connect police with citizens and educate the public.—
Kristine Phillips,
IndyStar,
4 July 2025
Verb
-
Rev 21:10), an ark of salvation sailing through the waters of history and a beacon that illumines the dark nights of this world.—
Daniel Burke,
NPR,
9 May 2025
-
The lighting illumines each river in brilliantly bright backdrop colors.—
Mark Swed,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Set against the backdrop of Costa Rica and inspired by true events, 52nd State follows an IT worker who discovers his job is a front for a criminal operation that scams elderly Americans.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
14 July 2025
-
The name was inspired by the property it’s built on.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
Just as Baldwin illuminated Douglass’s historical critique, Ta-Nehisi Coates has extended this analysis to contemporary America.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
4 July 2025
-
Nights are now the shortest, and the time that a satellite in low Earth orbit (like the ISS and Tiangong) can remain illuminated by the sun can extend throughout the night, a situation that can never be attained during other times of the year.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
3 July 2025
Verb
-
At blue hour, Abe captured the foreground—the internal walls and water—gently lit by the setting sun.—
Carlyn Kranking,
Smithsonian Magazine,
14 July 2025
-
Relatives said McFarlane went out with his buddies to celebrate Independence Day, and joined with a crowd of revelers lighting fireworks a few blocks from his home.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
13 July 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Illume.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illume. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share