enlightening

[en-lahyt-n-ing]

adjective

1. informative, instructive, or eye-opening; giving intellectual or spiritual light.

   You are encouraged to watch this very enlightening video to better understand what small family farms are up against.

Other Word Forms

• enlighteningly adverb
• nonenlightening adjective
• unenlightening adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of enlightening¹

First recorded in 1570–80; enlighten ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

But an enlightening conversation with his father, who died in 2022, made it “make sense for my psyche.”

From Los Angeles Times

Pulling a person’s coat means putting them on, enlightening them with the knowledge they need to better their living experience.

From Salon

Time can also be enlightening, and the value each person assigns to it can vary significantly.

From Salon

Kushins’ comprehensive, enlightening biography of Elmore Leonard, dubbed the Dickens of Detroit.

From Los Angeles Times

The series, which will conclude its three-episode second season on Thursday, plays like a video postcard of silly and enlightening adventures as O’Brien travels around the world to meet with fans and experience different cultures.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• informative 
• instructional www.thesaurus.com
• instructive