Meaning & use
benighted
Lacking knowledge, understanding, or enlightenment, especially due to a lack of education or moral awareness.
See it in a sentence
The reformers hoped to bring new ideas to what they saw as a benighted region.
He described the era before modern medicine as a benighted time for public health.
A note on using this word
Often carries a condescending tone, implying the speaker views the subject as backward compared to their own standards.
Words with a similar meaning
ignorantunenlightened
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
enlightenedinformed
Make it your own
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