Enlighten
To give someone greater knowledge, understanding, or insight about a subject; to illuminate or clarify.
verbEnlighten
To give someone greater knowledge, understanding, or insight about a subject; to illuminate or clarify.
verbImagine This
Imagine a fog of ignorance hovering over a classroom. A patient mentor raises a bright lantern, and the light pours over the chalkboard, making complex ideas clear and visible to every student.
Sounds Like
/ΙnΛlaΙͺtΙn/ (en-LY-tΙn)
Looks Like
Contains the word 'light' inside (enLIGHTen).
Remember This
Enlighten means mental illumination, not physical lighting. The word shares its root with 'light' and with the historical term Enlightenment, which emphasized reason and knowledge.
Other Forms
Connect With
illuminate, inform, educate, edify, instruct
Note
Enlighten is transitive: you enlighten someone about something. It is not used to describe changing mood or lighting physically. Compare with illuminate (more literal light) and inform/educate (focus on knowledge).