shed light on

Idioms  

1. Also, throw light on. Clarify or explain, as in I was hoping the professor would shed light on how he arrived at his theory, or Can anyone throw some light on where these plants came from? Originally, from about 1200, these expressions were used literally, in the sense of “illuminate,” but they soon were used figuratively as well.

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

shed light on

Recall announcements that MarketWatch reviewed shed light on which national brands may have made private-label products.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026

She said many were in a state of shock, and comprehensive interviews that could shed light on the incident will only take place later on.

From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026

Here are three numbers from newly released August trade data that shed light on a phenomenon that is fueling friction with trading partners over China’s growing trade imbalances.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

The signals could shed light on a puzzling group of objects known as XYZ states.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 2, 2026

Soon after, a friend emailed Kathy a document that seemed to shed light on the state of mind of the soldiers and law-enforcement agencies working in New Orleans at the time.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers

Related Words

• analyze
• clear up
• define
• formulate
• interpret
• resolve
• simplify
• spell out