ecstatic

1 of 2

adjective

ec·​stat·​ic ek-ˈsta-tik How to pronounce ecstatic (audio)
ik-ˈsta-
: of, relating to, or marked by ecstasy
ecstatically adverb

ecstatic

2 of 2

noun

: one that is subject to ecstasies

Did you know?

Ecstatic has been used in our language since the late 16th century, and the noun ecstasy is even older, dating from the 1300s. Both derive from the Greek verb existanai ("to put out of place"), which was used in a Greek phrase meaning "to drive someone out of his or her mind." That seems an appropriate history for words that can describe someone who is nearly out of their mind with intense emotion. In early use, ecstatic was sometimes linked to mystic trances, out-of-body experiences, and temporary madness. Today, however, it typically implies a state of enthusiastic excitement or intense happiness.

Examples of ecstatic in a Sentence

Adjective A few religious denominations—Pentecostalism, for example—still offer a collective ecstatic experience, as did rock culture at its height. But the ecstatic religions tend to be marginal, and rock has been tamed for commercial consumption … Barbara Ehrenreich, Civilization, June/July 2000
… in dietary terms we are veritable troglodytes (which, speaking personally, is all right by me). I think this explains a lot, not least my expanding sense of dismay as the waiter bombarded us with ecstatic descriptions of roulades, ratatouilles, empanadas, langostinos … and goodness knows what else. Bill Bryson, I'm a Stranger Here Myself, 1999
He was ecstatic when he heard that he was going to be a father. a football player who was ecstatic upon receiving a full athletic scholarship to the college of his choice
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Filming on location in France’s rural north, Dumont devises images as ecstatic, in rapturous natural settings, as Carl Theodor Dreyer does in starkly theatrical ones. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2024 Community's homages were always additive, so this goof on holiday TV is also an ecstatic Christmas episode in its own right. Chancellor Agard, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2024 Arguably mini-legends in their own right, each band served up stunning performances to an ecstatic crowd. Rose Eden, SPIN, 6 Mar. 2024 Though the home crowd in St. Paul was ecstatic as Kaprizov helped the Wild sneak away with a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks, there was a businesslike tone from players in the locker room afterward. Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 4 Mar. 2024 Within the halls of the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall, celebrities schmoozed, had ecstatic reunions, reminisced about their career beginnings and let their guards down, all while basking in the presence of fellow actors. Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2024 Halfway through, the track explodes into ecstatic drums and vocal effects from Lil Data, a PC Music artist who uses a program called TidalCycles to compose via code. Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 29 Feb. 2024 Plus, the reviews are an ecstatic 4.4 out of 5 stars. Christianna Silva, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Feb. 2024 Though Thug can’t celebrate the release with Strick or Blake, Strick assures Rolling Stone that his label boss is ecstatic. Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2024
Noun
Unsurprisingly, Kaley wasn't the only one ecstatic about parenthood. Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 12 Oct. 2022 Derrick Levasseur is pretty much ecstatic about his experience on season 16 of Big Brother. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 21 June 2022 Tarantino recently waxed ecstatic about one of his favorite filmmakers, Sergio Corbucci, in director Luca Rea’s documentary Django & Django. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 2 June 2022 The collective energy was suddenly charged and borderline ecstatic. Doug Bierend, Outside Online, 10 Mar. 2021 Chuck and Janie Hadley, who have lived in the neighborhood for 22 years, were nothing short of ecstatic to be in attendance. Callan Tansill-Suddath, baltimoresun.com, 11 Nov. 2021 In neither case was his audience ecstatic about his pronouncement. BostonGlobe.com, 9 July 2021 When the studio finally offered her the part, Hathaway was beyond ecstatic. Gabrielle Chung, PEOPLE.com, 14 June 2021 Count Oddo among those ecstatic that Louisville will be part of it. Shannon Russell, The Courier-Journal, 25 May 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ecstatic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from Medieval Latin ecstaticus, extaticus, borrowed from Greek ekstatikós "inclined to depart from, out of one's senses, causing mental disorder," from eksta-, stem of existánai "to displace, confound," exístasthai "to be astonished, lose consciousness" + -t-, verbal adjective suffix (after statós "standing") + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at ecstasy

Noun

derivative of ecstatic entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1590, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1659, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ecstatic was in 1590

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Dictionary Entries Near ecstatic

Cite this Entry

“Ecstatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ecstatic. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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