verb
Uncommon
enlighten
ihn-LEYE-tuhn
Enlighten (verb) means to give someone knowledge or understanding about something they didn't previously grasp. Example: “The tour guide enlightened us about the building's dark history.”
verb
1
To give someone knowledge or understanding about something they didn't previously grasp.
"She tried to enlighten them about the rules of the program, but they remained belligerently and self-righteously ignorant."
"Care to enlighten me, if you think I'm so benighted?"
"The tour guide enlightened us about the building's dark history."
"Please, enlighten me — what exactly happened at the meeting?"
"I'm in jail for what I hope will be a short stay and really quite lonely. If there are any who would care to correspond, I will be greatly pleased and will try to enlighten any and all to the hardships we have in prison."
— Donald Dougherty, Personal advertisement (1976)
How to use enlighten
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo help someone understand something by explaining it clearly.
Common pairings
enlighten someone
please enlighten me
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like enlighten.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Third person singular
- enlightens
- Past tense
- enlightened
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The tour guide _____ us about the building's dark history.
Etymology
From Old English inlīhtan, "to give light to," related to light + -en.
Synonyms
View more →
clear
illuminate
edify
clear up
sort out
irradiate
elucidate
crystalize
crystalise
crystallize
crystallise
shed light on
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for enlighten
See all rhymes for enlighten →Frequently asked questions
What does “enlighten” mean?
The word “enlighten” means to give someone knowledge or understanding about something they didn't previously grasp. In plain terms, to help someone understand something by explaining it clearly.
How do you pronounce “enlighten”?
“Enlighten” is pronounced ihn-LEYE-tuhn (/ɪnˈlaɪtən/ in IPA).
How do you use “enlighten” in a sentence?
Here is “enlighten” used in a sentence: “The tour guide enlightened us about the building's dark history.”
What part of speech is “enlighten”?
“Enlighten” is a verb.
Where does the word “enlighten” come from?
The word “enlighten” comes from Old English. From Old English inlīhtan, "to give light to," related to light + -en.
Is “enlighten” a common word?
“Enlighten” is an uncommon word in modern English.
