ilustrar
verbCEFR B2
What does “ilustrar” mean in English?
to illustrate, to demonstrate
to illustrate, to demonstrate (ilustrar con ejemplos — use examples, data, or visuals to make something clearer)
Example sentences
El ponente utilizó datos históricos para ilustrar cómo los ciclos económicos afectan al empleo a largo plazo.
The speaker used historical data to illustrate how economic cycles affect employment in the long term.
El gráfico ilustra claramente la diferencia entre los dos modelos de gestión propuestos.
The graph clearly illustrates the difference between the two management models proposed.
Para ilustrar este principio, permítanme presentarles un caso real ocurrido en una empresa mediana.
To illustrate this principle, allow me to present a real case from a medium-sized company.
How to use it
Ilustrar means 'to illustrate' — to make something clearer by using examples, data, or images. At B2, the academic and presentational sense dominates: ilustrar un punto con ejemplos (illustrate a point with examples), ilustrar la complejidad del problema (illustrate the complexity of the issue). It also means to illustrate a book/text with images. The reflexive ilustrarse means 'to educate oneself'. Don't confuse with demostrar (demonstrate — prove) or ejemplificar (exemplify — give a specific example).
Common mistake
Ilustrar (make clearer with examples or visuals) vs. demostrar (demonstrate — prove something is true or show how something works). Ilustrar does not prove — it clarifies. A graph that ilustra does not prove causation; it just shows the pattern visually. This distinction matters in academic writing.