Synonyms

illustrate

American

[il-uh-streyt, ih-luhs-treyt] / ˈɪl əˌstreɪt, ɪˈlʌs treɪt /

verb (used with object)

to furnish (a book, magazine, etc.) with drawings, pictures, or other artwork intended for explanation, elucidation, or adornment.
to make clear or intelligible, as by examples or analogies; exemplify.
Archaic. to enlighten.

verb (used without object)

to clarify one's words, writings, etc., with examples.

To prevent misunderstandings, let me illustrate.

illustrate British

/ ˈɪləˌstreɪt /

verb

to clarify or explain by use of examples, analogy, etc
(tr) to be an example or demonstration of
(tr) to explain or decorate (a book, text, etc) with pictures
(tr) an archaic word for enlighten

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of illustrate

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin illustrātus, past participle of illustrāre “to illuminate, make clear, give glory to”; see il- ¹, luster ¹, -ate ¹

Explanation

To illustrate is to make something more clear or visible. Children's books are illustrated with pictures. An example can illustrate an abstract idea. The word illustrate comes from the Latin illustrare 'to light up or enlighten.' Pictures in a book enlighten the reader, and a good example can enlighten someone on a complex topic. Another use: The government's actions illustrate how out of touch it is with the people. The history of this word illustrates how language changes over time, and how knowing the original meaning can help you understand the word in a deeper way.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing illustrate

Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

The SAT: Language of the Test, List 3

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!

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.

See Examples For:

illustrate illustrates illustrated illustrating

But both illustrate how valuable it has become for food companies to arrive earlier — to understand appetite not merely after a preference has been expressed, but while it is still taking shape.

From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026

“So standing on one leg and holding it versus a lunge, where you’re moving while balancing,” Burbank says to illustrate the difference.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

The point of the film was to illustrate that troops who don't directly fire weapons are still "under tremendous stress, high alertness and subject to exhaustion".

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

The Kochs attempt to illustrate the latter point with a chart that tracks global average gross domestic product per capita, adjusted for inflation, over two millennia.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

To illustrate the important binomial probability model, and to provide a numerical example of a statistical test, imagine the following miniature test for ESP.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos

“This offshore fracking proposal really illustrates the importance of having the state have a say in projects that affect its coastal resources,” said Maggie Hall, deputy chief counsel at the Environmental Defense Center.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

But even his future illustrates the enduring pull of Real Madrid.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

According to the researchers, this recurring pattern illustrates the experimental nature of evolution.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026

But as the switch from OpenAI to Gemini illustrates, there are also disadvantages to its less-than-absolute commitment to AI.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Another problem in probability illustrates how common coincidences may be in another context.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos

The tepid showing illustrated how the Warner Bros. studio has fallen since last year when it was riding high at the box office with “Sinners,” and “A Minecraft Movie.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

So we only have a two-year performance record, but those two years have illustrated what investors can expect from this type of strategy during a bull market.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026

If you’ve spent even a short while scrolling through YouTube looking for investing content, you’ve seen them—video thumbnails with illustrated flames and maybe a downward pointing arrow warning about the end times.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

The recipes are interspersed with stories from Kwon’s childhood in the store and illustrated spreads devoted to ingredients such as seaweed and tofu, explaining their varieties, particular virtues and best uses.

From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026

Though ultimately no great shakes, the projects were proposed and illustrated with such enthusiasm that even the most hardened ten-year-old could be tricked into believing he was in for some serious fun.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

Also this week, the army landed an Apache attack helicopter at coast guard headquarters, illustrating increased integration.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

The average tenure of a top-flight boss now stands at about 20 months, illustrating just how fleeting life in one of football's most demanding jobs can now be.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

That’s more than 3% of the country’s adult population, illustrating the feverish extent of stock market speculation and the danger of leverage.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026

In the finale, the officers team up against the judges, illustrating the power of working together, like our family.

From Salon ● Jun. 15, 2026

There was a biography and picture of the author and steel-cut engravings illustrating scenes from each play.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023