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
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.
And in motorsports, few things illustrate that story better than the evolution of the pit crew.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
He uses Sumter County - one of the three in which the Villages sits - as an example to illustrate why.
From BBC • May 1, 2026
But more likely they illustrate the difficult choices facing the Fed in this uncertain era.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026
They cite data from the public markets to illustrate their point.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026
“I made a second binding between the candle and a brazier to illustrate the Law of Conservation.”
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
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.
