illustrate
Americanverb (used with object)
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illustrates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
illustrated,
past participle, past
-
illustrating
present participle
-
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)
-
illustrates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
illustrated,
past participle, past
-
illustrating
present participle
verb
-
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
Derived Forms
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illustratornoun
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overillustrateverb (used with object)
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preillustrateverb (used with object)
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reillustrateverb (used with object)
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superillustrateverb (used with object)
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illustratableadjective
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illustrativeadjective
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illustrativelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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illustratesimple
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illustratessimple
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have illustratedperfect
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has illustratedperfect
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am illustratingprogressive
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are illustratingprogressive
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is illustratingprogressive
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have been illustratingperfect progressive
-
has been illustratingperfect progressive
Past
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illustratedsimple
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had illustratedperfect
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was illustratingprogressive
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were illustratingprogressive
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had been illustratingperfect progressive
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.
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.
See Examples For:
To illustrate that point she brings up a 2021 case in which British doctors missed a child’s life-threatening condition, and her parents’ observations were ignored.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
To illustrate my point, consider the three occasions over the last decade when I devoted a column to taking issue with a chorus of voices calling for Cook to step down.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 2, 2026
"It's a bit like the TV show What's in Your Fridge," says Martin Sahlberg to illustrate the process.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026
Prosecutors also called to the stand Burke's former financial manager, Benjamin Greger, to illustrate his financial motive to protect his music career.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
He even hoped to build a mechanical model that would illustrate his theory of the tides.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
It illustrates a key issue facing The Hundred after its first year since the private investment that has resulted in several rebranded teams - including Sunrisers, who took the place of the Northern Superchargers.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
The phenomenon illustrates the growing influence TV can have on real estate and tourism.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026
Without pressing the matter, the script by Mr. Johnson, Todd Bartels, Lou Howe and Matthew Miller illustrates how vital it is for a young scamp to get corrected by tough, pitiless direction.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
According to the researchers, this recurring pattern illustrates the experimental nature of evolution.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026
In fact, it illustrates an enormous subject of great importance: human diseases of animal origins.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Inspired by the transient beauty of cherry blossoms, known in Japan as sakura — which is illustrated in their album cover, alongside a dark pegasus — much of the LP also hinges on melodrama.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
Chew illustrated the extent of the bearish acceleration in sentiment shift in an update to his equity markets positioning model published on Monday.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 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
That last element illustrated a sport in rude health and again raised the question of why organisers had not run the traditional closing stage over the scenic cobbled hill before its debut visit last year.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
A school-issued lanyard was looped around my neck, clipped to a laminated square: Edith with an illustrated elephant.
From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day
Gakpo ranks in the 78th percentile for link-up play, the 75th for pass progression and the 67th for creative threat, illustrating his comfort combining in tight spaces and contributing to build-up play.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 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
Most of these well-performing vehicles are larger products, illustrating the continued appeal of such vehicles in the United States.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 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
Lori was working as a freelance artist specializing in fantasy, illustrating calendars and game boards and book jackets.
From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls
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.
