If you say that something illustrates a situation that you are drawing attention to, you mean that it shows that the situation exists. The example of the United States illustrates this point The incident graphically illustrates how parlous their position is The case also illustrates that some women are now trying to fight back. = demonstrate
- Use examples to help explain your answer, and if possible present a diagram, picture or small drawing However usually requires more than making a drawing E g illustrate the use of catapults in a battle
To create designs and pictures for books, magazines, or other print or electronic media to make clear or explain the text or show what happens in a story
If you illustrate a book, you put pictures, photographs or diagrams into it. She went on to art school and is now illustrating a book He has illustrated the book with black-and-white photographs. + illustrated il·lus·trat·ed The book is beautifully illustrated throughout. + illustration il·lus·tra·tion the world of children's book illustration
If you use an example, story, or diagram to illustrate a point, you use it show that what you are saying is true or to make your meaning clearer. Let me give another example to illustrate this difficult point Throughout, she illustrates her analysis with excerpts from discussions. + illustration il·lus·tra·tion Here, by way of illustration, are some extracts from our new catalogue
A question which asks you to illustrate usually requires you to explain or clarify your answer to the problem by presenting a figure, picture, diagram, or concrete example