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Synonyms

see the light

Idioms  

  1. Also, begin to see the light. Understand or begin to understand something; also, see the merit of another's explanation or decision. For example, Dean had been trying to explain that tax deduction for fifteen minutes when I finally saw the light, or Pat was furious she and her friends were not allowed to go hiking on their own in the mountains, but she began to see the light when a group got lost up there. This term, dating from the late 1600s, originally referred to religious conversion, the light meaning “true religion.” By the early 1800s it was used more broadly for any kind of understanding. Also see light at the end of a tunnel; see the light of day.

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's unclear whether The Bachelorette, which was already filmed, is simply being preempted for a period of time or if it will never see the light of day.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026

They weren’t sure if “KPop” would ever see the light of day.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2026

Some of the wackiest ideas will never see the light of day, but the best might end up in one of our tech gift guides.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026

Many details of the agreement Bern struck last week to slash the levy to 15 percent, on par with the surrounding European Union, have yet to see the light of day.

From Barron's • Nov. 19, 2025

Long after their voices had faded away, Arya could still see the light of the torch, a smoking star that bid her follow.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

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.