rapture 1 of 2

rapture

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verb

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
At least two nineteenth-century poems by English Romantics—one by John Keats, one by Leigh Hunt—express rapture at seeing a preserved lock of John Milton’s hair. Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 21 July 2025 Deep in his rapture, Harold didn’t notice my mounting anxiety, my breath coming more heavily. Nicole Krauss, The Atlantic, 6 July 2025
Verb
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 Yet Mendes mostly sees a cheap, useful instrument in Deakins—a shortcut to rapture. A.a. Dowd, Chron, 8 Dec. 2022 See All Example Sentences for rapture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rapture
Noun
  • According to the Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner's Office, in October 2023, Reece's death was ruled an accident resulting from acute toxicity due to a combination of cocaine, ethanol (alcohol), and MDMA (commonly known as ecstasy or Molly).
    Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
  • No moment better captures the agony and ecstasy that sport provides than the contrasting emotions of two teams that have just contested a major final.
    Amanda Davies, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The guests were delighted by the surprise fireworks show.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Girl Violence, the result of that introspection, announces Strauss’ new chapter with songs that bloom and twist around themselves, echoing the fear and delight and increasing clear-eyedness that came along with each fresh experience.
    Maura Johnston, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • One big topic in the news these days is that AI often pretends to be your best friend and will praise you to the high heavens.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Neon lights and a checkerboard stage added to the ‘80s vibe of the song, while a musician playing a keytar with hair-teased-to-heavens cemented the influence of the decade on Doja’s sound.
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • And the words, while sparse, move together with pauses and spaces to form a musical, entrancing pace or rhythm, one that is distinct from everyday speech and which the reader must be willing to follow.
    Brian Robert Moore September 5, Literary Hub, 5 Sep. 2025
  • White’s anthology series has entranced viewers since its premiere in 2021.
    Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Being too cautious can cost you just as much joy as overspending ever could.
    Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Sean Pursley - Audubon Photography Awards 2025 The National Audubon Society has announced the winning bird photos of the 2025 Audubon Photography Awards featuring stunning imagery that highlights the beauty and joy of birds and fascinating avian behaviors.
    Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • First responders transported him to the U of L Hospital for treatment.
    Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 14 Sep. 2025
  • He was transported to a hospital in critical condition before he was later pronounced dead.
    Landon Mion , Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Poehler plays Joy, the embodiment of happiness in the mind of main character Riley, in the Inside Out movies.
    Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Co-written with Claire Douglas, Hannah Ellis, and Jason Massey, the song explores the uneasy tendency to sabotage our own happiness, pairing wistful guitars with Velasco's soaring vocals.
    Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The robot then rolls quietly from a central hub to your home, opens its lid and carries away your trash before returning to unload and recharge.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • No one should get too carried away and expect Rodgers to have that kind of performance week in and week out.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rapture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rapture. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.

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