enlightened
Britishadjective
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factually well-informed, tolerant of alternative opinions, and guided by rational thought
an enlightened administration
enlightened self-interest
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privy to or claiming a sense of spiritual or religious revelation of truth
the search for an enlightened spiritual master
Explanation
Have you ever thought long and hard about a problem and then, suddenly, experienced an "ah-ha!" moment? If your answer is yes, then congratulations! You were enlightened or in possession of a clear understanding of what was otherwise mysterious. The word enlightened comes from the Latin prefix en meaning "in, into" and the word lux meaning "light." Combine these meanings — "into the light" — and you're describing what it is that characterizes an enlightened person: a sense of clarity and understanding. People often seek to be enlightened spiritually, by taking pilgrimages, meditating, or looking to spiritual gurus like the Dalai Lama.
Vocabulary lists containing enlightened
Matilda
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The Monroe Doctrine (1823)
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The Enlightenment
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Many of the problems we face are self-inflicted, and they are fixable with proper allocation of resources, and enlightened and accountable leadership.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 10, 2026
They believe in an enlightened, secular Islam compatible with freedom of conscience and civil equality.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026
“I believe that it enlightened, lit a fire under the guys,” DiGiorgio said, “to be a little excited for this week.”
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 28, 2025
In Miranda’s “Hamilton” audiences saw what America could be if it were truly an egalitarian, enlightened society unhindered by the ugly racism that scarred it from the very start.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 8, 2025
His was considered a modern, enlightened prison, despite its Victorian chill.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
