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
Derived Forms
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
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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.
To keep you up to date, BBC Sport has developed a projection tool that updates in-game to illustrate the schedule all the way to the final.
From BBC • Jun. 24, 2026
EU officials often point to Washington's sanctions against International Criminal Court judges -- imposed by Trump in February 2025 -- to illustrate the grip of US firms.
From Barron's • May 30, 2026
Chilling films and Lynchian surrealism pervade the tracklist of “Be Sweet to Me,” which relies on symbolic lyricism to illustrate coming-of-age stories.
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy held a press conference Saturday to illustrate how the industry is responding to the low-cost carrier’s disappearance.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026
It’s to illustrate, via a peek into my stream of consciousness, the habit of lingering over good writing wherever you find it and reflecting on what makes it good.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
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.
