illuminate
To light something up.
illuminate in a sentence
- The fireworks illuminated the night sky, turning it bright as day.
- A single candle was enough to illuminate the whole cellar with a soft glow.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to illuminate?
- Adarken
- Blight
- Cdim
- Dshade
Show the answer
B: light. The other three mean the opposite of illuminate.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to illuminate?
- Abrighten
- Blight
- Cdarken
Show the answer
C: darken. The other three mean nearly the same as illuminate.
Words that mean something similar
light, brighten
Words that mean the opposite
darken, dim, shade
More words about light & dark
- indistinct: Not clear enough to see or hear properly.
- inferno: A huge, fierce fire that is out of control.
- kindle: To start a fire, or to stir up a feeling.
- luminous: Giving off light, or glowing brightly.
- mellow: Soft, gentle and relaxed.
- murky: Dark, dirty and hard to see through.
- ominous: Giving you a worrying feeling that something bad is about to happen.
- opaque: Impossible to see through.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test