Standard Lemma guide

enlightening

adj · verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: EH2 N L AY1 T AH0 N IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: EH0 N L AY1 T N IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Serving to enlighten.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

present participle and gerund of enlighten

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective

Meaning 3

enlightening or uplifting so as to encourage intellectual or moral improvement

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the paintings in the church served an edifying purpose even for those who could not read

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: edifying

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective

Meaning 4

tending to increase knowledge or dissipate ignorance

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an enlightening glimpse of government in action
  • an illuminating lecture

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: informative, illuminating

Antonyms: unenlightening

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.