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

The case has shed light on more of the alleged activities of Marselek, who has since been charged with fraud and embezzlement, suspected of having inflated Wirecard's balance sheet total and sales volume.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

Minutes from their two-day meeting last month, which will be published Wednesday afternoon, could shed light on whether firms are passing these higher prices to their consumers.

From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026

Historical documents, including wills and donation records dating back to 1449, shed light on the relationship between this banker and Leonardo's father, ser Piero.

From Science Daily • May 4, 2026

ASML, a near monopolist in lithography machines, reports earnings, expected to shed light on the AI and memory processor cycles.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

Mrs. Clarke also tried to shed light on the matter.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

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