enlighten

American  

[en-lahyt-n] / ɛnˈlaɪt n /

verb (used with object)

1. to give intellectual or spiritual light to; instruct; impart knowledge to.

   We hope the results of our research will enlighten our colleagues.

   Synonyms:

   inform, teach, edify, illumine

   Antonyms:

   puzzle, perplex, confuse, mystify

2. Archaic. to shed light upon.

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enlighten British  

/ ɪnˈlaɪtən /

verb

1. to give information or understanding to; instruct; edify

2. to free from ignorance, prejudice, or superstition

3. to give spiritual or religious revelation to

4. poetic to shed light on

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Other Word Forms

• enlightenedly adverb
• enlightenedness noun
• enlightener noun
• enlightening adjective
• nonenlightened adjective
• preenlighten verb (used with object)
• preenlightener noun
• reenlighten verb (used with object)
• unenlightened adjective
• well-enlightened adjective

Etymology

Origin of enlighten

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English enli(g)htenen; see en- ¹, lighten ¹

Explanation

To enlighten someone means to explain something clearly to him. If your friend is behaving strangely but insists she has a reason for it, you could ask her to enlighten you. Enlighten comes from the metaphor that ignorance is a state of being "in the dark," and that knowledge is illuminating. We use enlighten as a verb meaning to clear up, to remove confusion. Light is also a powerful metaphor for spiritual insight. If you have a great revelation about the divinity of the world, you could say you have been enlightened. The era known as the "Age of Reason" is also called the Enlightenment.

Example Sentences

Some of those eagerly sought to enlighten their charges, while a few others grew to see – or claimed to see – an unbridgeable chasm between the ivory tower and mass cultural aspiration.

From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026

Its narrative offers few character sketches, jumps around in time and digresses into subjects that distract more than they enlighten.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

So can you enlighten us as to the great wisdom Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito share in their own concurrences?

From Slate • Jun. 18, 2025

“I believe Earlonne will continue to educate, enlighten and enrich the lives of his peers at San Quentin and the many, many people who listen faithfully to ‘Ear Hustle,’” Brown wrote in 2018.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2024

I almost hold my breath, waiting for her to get to me so that she can somehow enlighten me.

From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy

Related Words

• acquaint
• advise
• civilize
• edify
• educate
• inform
• uplift