- present participle of illuminate.
illuminating
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of illuminating
First recorded in 1555–65; illuminat(e) + -ing 2
Explanation
Something that's illuminating makes you better informed, more aware, or more inspired. An illuminating documentary film gives you all kinds of new information about its subject. Describe things as illuminating when they clarify the situation or explain the facts. A long conversation with someone you don't know well can be illuminating, helping you understand her much better. Likewise, studying the details of any subject, whether it's dog training or art history, is also illuminating. The verb illuminate means "light up," and it comes from the Latin word illuminare, "to throw into light or make bright," which is also figuratively used to mean "illustrate."
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.
It was illuminating to hear the period-instrument orchestra—led by Geoffrey Loff, who also played keyboard—with its softer strings and prominent bassoons, though the continuo cellist struggled with coordination.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
These are often bound up under one general heading of "polarisation", but it's been illuminating to unpack them.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Judging by the smiles and charmed looks on shoppers’ faces, her produce-inspired candles are less about illuminating rooms and more about sharing the joy she sought when she first started the company in 2018.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
This is going to be painful in ways that you can’t foresee, but if you remain adaptable and empathetic, you could be embarking on an illuminating chapter of your life.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 29, 2026
The porter reached into the opening, where he found a torch in the shadows and set fire to it, illuminating a tunnel of dry stone.
From "The Reader" by Traci Chee
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.
