Thesaurus results for ILLUSTRATION

Q: How is the word 'illustration' distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of illustration are case , example , instance , sample , and specimen . While all these words mean "something that exhibits distinguishing characteristics in its category," illustration applies to an instance offered as a means of clarifying or illuminating a general statement. // a telling illustration of Murphy's Law

Q: Where would 'case' be a reasonable alternative to 'illustration'?

The meanings of case and illustration largely overlap; however, case is used to direct attention to a real or assumed occurrence or situation that is to be considered, studied, or dealt with. // a case of mistaken identity

Q: When could 'example' be used to replace 'illustration'?

In some situations, the words example and illustration are roughly equivalent. However, example applies to a typical, representative, or illustrative instance or case. // a typical example of bureaucratic waste

Q: When would 'instance' be a good substitute for 'illustration'?

While the synonyms instance and illustration are close in meaning, instance applies to any individual person, act, or thing that may be offered to illustrate or explain. // an instance of history repeating itself

Q: In what contexts can 'sample' take the place of 'illustration'?

The words sample and illustration can be used in similar contexts, but sample implies a part or unit taken at random from a larger whole and so presumed to be typical of its qualities. // show us a sample of your work

Q: When might 'specimen' be a better fit than 'illustration'?

While in some cases nearly identical to illustration , specimen applies to any example or sample whether representative or merely existent and available. // one of the finest specimens of the jeweler's art

illustration

noun

ˌi-lə-ˈstrā-shən

Definition of illustration

as in diagram

something that visually explains or decorates a text this book on birds has gorgeous illustrations

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in explanation

a statement that makes something clear forced to give several illustrations until she was understood

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in depiction

a two-dimensional design intended to look like a person or thing the doctor sketched an illustration to explain the procedure to the patient

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in example

one of a group or collection that shows what the whole is like chose one essay as an illustration of the high quality of the collection

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word illustration distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of illustration are case, example, instance, sample, and specimen. While all these words mean "something that exhibits distinguishing characteristics in its category," illustration applies to an instance offered as a means of clarifying or illuminating a general statement.

a telling illustration of Murphy's Law

Where would case be a reasonable alternative to illustration?

The meanings of case and illustration largely overlap; however, case is used to direct attention to a real or assumed occurrence or situation that is to be considered, studied, or dealt with.

a case of mistaken identity

When could example be used to replace illustration?

In some situations, the words example and illustration are roughly equivalent. However, example applies to a typical, representative, or illustrative instance or case.

a typical example of bureaucratic waste

When would instance be a good substitute for illustration?

While the synonyms instance and illustration are close in meaning, instance applies to any individual person, act, or thing that may be offered to illustrate or explain.

an instance of history repeating itself

In what contexts can sample take the place of illustration?

The words sample and illustration can be used in similar contexts, but sample implies a part or unit taken at random from a larger whole and so presumed to be typical of its qualities.

show us a sample of your work

When might specimen be a better fit than illustration?

While in some cases nearly identical to illustration, specimen applies to any example or sample whether representative or merely existent and available.

one of the finest specimens of the jeweler's art

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of illustration But this year, according to a dress code reviewed by The Athletic, women have been told that strapless, off-the-shoulder and spaghetti-strap attire is not permitted, with illustrations of appropriate and inappropriate wear for both men and women. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 4 July 2026 While the earliest complete Bible, the Codex Sinaiticus, lacks illustrations, by the fifth century illustrations began accompanying biblical texts, enhancing their visual and spiritual impact. — Literary Hub, 6 July 2026 Advertisement President Biden’s answer to a question about military engagement, in October 2023, was a perfect illustration of Orwell’s point about knee-jerk nationalist responses. — Dominic Erdozain, Time, 3 July 2026 The South Beach school’s 1975-‘76 yearbook was a patriotic red, white and blue and illustrations of the Statue of Liberty, the Liberty Bell and the American Eagle. — Miami Herald, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for illustration

Recent Examples of Synonyms for illustration

Noun

Now, yes, staring at the ceiling long enough to draw you a diagram of the paint peeling.

— Danielle Parker, CBS News, 30 June 2026
Someone other than the original builder should review the code or process diagrams.

— Aaron Rallo, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Definition of diagram

Noun

And most interestingly, her chyron identifies her as a Freelance Journalist with no further explanation.

— Tom Smyth, Vulture, 2 July 2026
Some explanations of bodily difference were obviously wrong, such as physician and signer of the Declaration of Independence Benjamin Rush’s conviction that the dark skin of African Americans was a disease, derived from leprosy.

— Katherine Ott, The Conversation, 2 July 2026

Definition of explanation

Noun

Their French 75, which is made with cognac, lemon and muscadet, is a perfect example thanks to a beautiful balance of elegance and ingenuity.

— Blair Crosby, AJC.com, 5 July 2026
One example is a joint venture with CDA near the future Route 390 and I-490 interchange next to O’Hare.

— Marni Pike, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026

Definition of example

Noun

The design mounts graphics processing units in compute trays that sit vertically instead of horizontally to boost density and reduce latency, and had been slated to debut with Vera Rubin Ultra, Nvidia's next-generation rack-scale system, in 2027.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 6 July 2026
The researchers reported that the chip is 50 to 478 times faster than systems powered by Nvidia’s A100 graphics processing unit for this task.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 6 July 2026

Definition of graphic

Noun

Ursuline maintains the conference has breached its constitution and bylaws in both substantive interpretation and adherence to procedural safeguards.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 6 July 2026
As a consequence of its sheer polyphonic complexity, Moby-Dick thwarts simple interpretation.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026

Definition of interpretation

Noun

Type a topic into the input field, and the platform spins up a structured presentation with smart layouts, professional copy, and visuals across every slide.

— StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 4 July 2026
There’s even a tool allowing anyone to convert space visuals into sound, creating their own song of the cosmos.

— Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 4 July 2026

Definition of visual

Browse Nearby Words

illustrating

illustration

illustrational

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Illustration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illustration. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of illustration

noun

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