illustrate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to furnish (a book, magazine, etc.) with drawings, pictures, or other artwork intended for explanation, elucidation, or adornment.
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to make clear or intelligible, as by examples or analogies; exemplify.
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Archaic. to enlighten.
verb (used without object)
verb
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to clarify or explain by use of examples, analogy, etc
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(tr) to be an example or demonstration of
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(tr) to explain or decorate (a book, text, etc) with pictures
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(tr) an archaic word for enlighten
Other Word Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing illustrate
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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The SAT: Language of the Test, List 3
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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.
And in motorsports, few things illustrate that story better than the evolution of the pit crew.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
Big-ticket durable-goods sales matter because they help illustrate how consumers are coping when they have a choice to spend or not.
From MarketWatch • May 15, 2026
Sometimes it is the details that best illustrate the broader canvas.
From BBC • May 8, 2026
Key Hindu beliefs illustrate this idea: Hinduism holds that many paths access one underlying Truth.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026
She closed her eyes for a moment as if to illustrate how they would speak.
From "Krik? Krak!" by Edwidge Danticat
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.
