enlightening

adjective

en·​light·​en·​ing in-ˈlīt-niŋ How to pronounce enlightening (audio)
-ˈlī-tᵊn-iŋ,
en-
: providing or tending to provide knowledge, understanding, or insight
a very enlightening discussion
… he takes readers on enlightening excursions through the nature of Judaism, Hegelian philosophy, wherever his curiosity heads.George Johnson
enlighteningly adverb

Examples of enlightening in a Sentence

an enlightening pamphlet about the major changes that consumers can expect from their cable and Internet service providers
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Just viewing hockey and kind of what goes into the day to day of coaching has been very eye-opening and enlightening and very constructive for me. Scott Powers, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025 But now Collider has gotten some enlightening details out of Giamatti himself. Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025 A number of essential factors must be considered and covered to ensure an AI bot understands varied inputs; generates accurate, unbiased outputs; guards sensitive information; and provides responses that are both enlightening and engaging. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025 This move will ensure that the Festival continues its work of risk taking, supporting innovative storytellers, fostering independence, and entertaining and enlightening audiences. Matt Donnelly, Variety, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for enlightening

Word History

First Known Use

1574, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of enlightening was in 1574

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Enlightening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enlightening. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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