adjective Uncommon

illuminating

ih-LOO-mih-nay-tihng

Illuminating (adjective) means providing light. Example: “The lamp gave off a soft, illuminating glow.”

adjective

Providing light.

"The lamp gave off a soft, illuminating glow."

Helping to explain or clarify something.

"The interview offered an illuminating look at how the decision was made."

How to use illuminating

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSomething that makes things clearer, or literally gives off light.

Common pairings

illuminating discussion illuminating insight

more illuminating comparative, most illuminating superlative

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Can you complete this real example?

The lamp gave off a soft, _____ glow.

From illuminate + -ing.

clarifying explanatory revelatory

explanation explaining clarifying explanatory revelatory

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What does “illuminating” mean?

The word “illuminating” means providing light. In plain terms, something that makes things clearer, or literally gives off light.

How do you pronounce “illuminating”?

“Illuminating” is pronounced ih-LOO-mih-nay-tihng (/ɪˈluməneɪtɪŋ/ in IPA).

How do you use “illuminating” in a sentence?

Here is “illuminating” used in a sentence: “The lamp gave off a soft, illuminating glow.”

What is another word for “illuminating”?

Words with a similar meaning to “illuminating” include clarifying, explanatory and revelatory.

What part of speech is “illuminating”?

“Illuminating” is an adjective.

Is “illuminating” a common word?

“Illuminating” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “illuminating” have?

“Illuminating” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: providing light.

explanation explaining clarifying explanatory revelatory