Illustrate

Meaning

Illustrate means to explain or make something clear by using examples, pictures, comparisons, or other forms of demonstration. It can also mean to provide pictures for a book or publication.

Pronunciation

/ˈɪl.ə.streɪt/

Word Forms

• Base form: illustrate
• Past tense: illustrated
• Past participle: illustrated
• Present participle: illustrating
• Noun: illustration
• Noun: illustrator
• Adjective: illustrative

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

• illustrate a point — to make an idea clearer by giving an example.
• illustrate an idea — to explain an idea through an example or representation.
• illustrate a concept — to make a concept easier to understand.
• illustrate with an example — to explain something by providing an example.
• illustrate a book — to provide pictures for a book.
• clearly illustrate — to make something especially clear or obvious through an example or representation.

Example Sentences

• The teacher used a simple diagram to illustrate the concept.
• This example illustrates how easily misunderstandings can occur.
• The story illustrates the importance of forgiveness.
• These statistics clearly illustrate the scale of the problem.
• She was hired to illustrate a children's book.

Literary Example

Example:

“But he knew now that anger was better than tears. Anger was stronger.”

— Gary Paulsen, Hatchet

This passage illustrates Brian's emotional development by showing how his understanding of his own emotions has changed. The passage demonstrates rather than simply states the character's psychological transformation.

Story Workshop

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Related Words

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