Vocabulary in context
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Enlighten
To give someone greater knowledge, understanding, or insight about a subject; to illuminate or clarify.
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Imagine 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.
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Sounds Like
/ɛnˈlaɪtən/ (en-LY-tən)
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Looks Like
Contains the word 'light' inside (enLIGHTen).
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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.
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Other Forms
enlightenmentnoun
enlightenedadjective
enlighteningadjective
enlightenernoun
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Connect With
illuminate, inform, educate, edify, instruct
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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).
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Study Deeper
Examples
- The lecturer aims to enlighten the audience about climate change.
- A clear analogy can enlighten students and reduce confusion about quantum physics.
Synonyms
illuminateinformeducateedifyinstruct
Antonyms
obscureconfusemislead
Etymology
From Middle English enlightenen, from Old English inlihtan, literally 'to bring light into' (in- + light). The word shares a root with 'light' and with the noun 'enlightenment' (the historical movement valuing reason and knowledge).
Mnemonic
EN-LIGHT-EN: Remember that to enlighten is to turn on the light in someone's mind; the word literally contains 'light' inside it.
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Eulogy
nounA formal speech or piece of writing that praises someone, typically delivered at a funeral or memorial service.
Immutable
adjectiveNot able to be changed; unchanging over time; fixed and permanent.
Mawkish
adjectiveFoolishly sentimental; excessively or sickeningly sentimental to the point of being affectation.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Abandon
verbTo give up completely, to desert or leave behind, or to relinquish a claim, plan, or responsibility.
Abate
verbTo decrease in amount or intensity; to reduce or end something.
Abolish
verbTo formally end or repeal a system, practice, or institution; to officially put an end to something established.
Abridge
verbTo shorten (a text, speech, or other work) by omitting parts; to condense.
Abscond
verbTo depart secretly or flee, especially to avoid detection or arrest.
Absolve
verbTo free someone from blame or responsibility; to pardon or exonerate.
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