rapture 1 of 2

Definition of rapturenext

rapture

2 of 2

verb

as in to delight
to fill with overwhelming emotion (as wonder or delight) nature lovers will be raptured by the documentary's breathtaking cinematography

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word rapture distinct from other similar nouns?

The words ecstasy and transport are common synonyms of rapture. While all three words mean "intense exaltation of mind and feelings," rapture usually implies intense bliss or beatitude.

in speechless rapture

How do ecstasy and rapture relate to one another?

Ecstasy and rapture both suggest a state of trance or near immobility produced by an overpowering emotion; ecstasy may apply to any strong emotion (such as joy, fear, rage, adoration).

religious ecstasy

When might transport be a better fit than rapture?

In some situations, the words transport and rapture are roughly equivalent. However, transport applies to any powerful emotion that lifts one out of oneself and usually provokes vehement expression or frenzied action.

in a transport of rage

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 rapture
Noun
Her ghost of a smile should be parsed as beatific rapture. Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026 And from this subtle motion that contained stillness at its core – somewhere inside this dense organism, this single entity – an intense flame burst forth and the women were ignited by rapture. Literary Hub, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
For a movie about an apocalyptic clash of vampires and gangsters, Sinners has moments of unexpected jubilance, even rapture. A.a. Dowd, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2025 Dispensationalism has an offensive reputation among many Jews because the End Times prophecy outlines an event in which Jews suffer mass slaughter while Christian believers are spared because God raptured them. Liam Adams, The Tennessean, 22 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for rapture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rapture
Noun
  • Her husband, Souksavath Noi Keomisy, pleaded guilty in 2009 to felony federal charges of conspiracy to possess the drug ecstasy with the intent to distribute.
    Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 May 2026
  • His ecstasy is beautifully represented through the magic of the animation.
    Marya E. Gates, IndieWire, 13 May 2026
Verb
  • SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.
    Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 19 May 2026
  • Good times with children will delight you.
    Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 19 May 2026
Noun
  • Warnings, laments, and odes to renewal were expressed pictorially as dying days under bleeding heavens, belching volcanoes, proud icebergs, lavish rainbows amid spangling, mist-suffusing sunlight and dawns of peace and hope.
    Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • Gaga and Doechii, a match made in fashion heaven, and two style students who clearly did their homework for this assignment.
    Christian Allaire, Vogue, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Remember flipping through your cable channels and suddenly becoming entranced by someone hawking must-have knives or jewelry on QVC?
    Amanda Mull, Bloomberg, 20 Apr. 2026
  • Johnson is entranced by physics.
    Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • For every grousing old-timer who felt that Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman was contaminating the genre came another who expressed sheer joy that such a show even existed.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
  • The death of two of his sons in previous years formed the background, but Cave’s themes are hopefulness and the joy that lives at the far side of grief.
    Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • Both were extricated by the Ottumwa Fire Department and ORMICS personnel and transported to the Ottumwa Regional Health Center.
    Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026
  • Upon arriving by a luxe eight-passenger jet from Honolulu via Lanai Air, you'll be greeted by a hotel representative in a private luxury Sprinter, or a Tesla with falcon wing doors, and transported about 20 minutes south to the oceanfront resort.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 May 2026
Noun
  • Research on retirement satisfaction has suggested that financial security alone may not fully explain happiness in retirement.
    Wes Moss, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
  • The findings land at a fraught moment for American happiness.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 14 May 2026
Verb
  • The band isn’t worried about label expectations or pleasing mainstream audiences.
    Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2026
  • Anyone with information about Nancy's disappearance is asked to please contact 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at 520-351-4900.
    Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 18 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rapture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rapture. Accessed 23 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on rapture

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster