as in ecstasy
a state of overwhelming usually pleasurable emotion
in The Nutcracker Clara gazes in rapture as the Christmas tree grows before her very eyes
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rapture
Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 18 June 2025
The rapture once preached and beckoned in churches has been repackaged for secular times: In place of souls ascending to heaven, there are minds preserved digitally—or even bodies kept alive—for eternity.
—John Kaag, The Atlantic, 28 May 2025
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
Noun
The crowd certainly helped matters by sitting in quiet rapture, applauding and cheering only at appropriate times.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 18 June 2025
The rapture once preached and beckoned in churches has been repackaged for secular times: In place of souls ascending to heaven, there are minds preserved digitally—or even bodies kept alive—for eternity.
—John Kaag, The Atlantic, 28 May 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
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Anisimova watched it all from a few feet away, the agony and ecstasy of a cruel game in stark relief.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
12 July 2025
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And so, her cri de coeur came out as one great, big, fat, satisfying moan of ecstasy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 July 2025
Verb
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Here are 10 standout examples, but vintage specialists such as Analog/Shift, Wind Vintage, and the major auction houses regularly bring forth superlative pieces in rare configurations that will delight even the most jaded collector.—
Oren Hartov,
Robb Report,
30 July 2025
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After delighting the fans by suddenly appearing in their midst, HYDE returned to the stage.—
Billboard Japan,
Billboard,
29 July 2025
Noun
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The sky was the limit, or maybe not, and extended to the heavens far above.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
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Scanning the heavens at the Vatican Observatory Perched in the hills outside Rome sits the Palace of Castel Gandolfo, the centuries-old lakeside summer home for popes, which is also home to the Vatican Observatory, established in 1891 to help bridge the chasm between religion and science.—
David Morgan,
CBS News,
26 June 2025
Verb
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That meant the audience stared, entranced, at a stage filled with string musicians and an upright bass player, with drummer Brian Chase in the back and guitarist Nick Zinner mostly playing acoustic instruments.—
Julyssa Lopez,
Rolling Stone,
30 July 2025
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In season 2 episode 6 of the MTV series, the musical icon was entranced while watching a Chipotle employee wrap his burrito.—
Sabrina Weiss,
People.com,
24 July 2025
Noun
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Regardless, drivers have been honking their vehicles’ horns with joy now that Gurnee is the first in the county to end its photo-enforcement program.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
14 July 2025
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The joy emanating from the largely millennial devotees was palpable, from the white clothing blanketing the stands to the breathless commentary throughout the concert.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
13 July 2025
Verb
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These systems are emission-free and utilize a fleet of Tesla electric vehicles like the Model 3 sedan and Model X midsize SUV to transport users.—
Charles Singh,
The Tennessean,
30 July 2025
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Relying on backup life-support systems on the Apollo Lunar Module meant to transport them to the moon's surface from orbit, the astronauts used primitive methods of celestial navigation to make their way back to Earth.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Austin American Statesman,
29 July 2025
Noun
-
Notions of propriety get in the way of happiness, insinuations overpower truth, gossip becomes currency—a game of social snakes and ladders is afoot at all times.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
24 July 2025
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This belief pushes them to go out of their way to ensure their partner’s happiness.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
Verb
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So this season, let yourself be carried away by nostalgia.—
Paulina Berges,
Glamour,
19 July 2025
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This carries away angular momentum and causes the two stellar bodies to move closer together.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
18 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rapture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rapture. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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