rapture

1 of 2

noun

rap·​ture ˈrap-chər How to pronounce rapture (audio)
1
: an expression or manifestation of ecstasy or passion
2
a
: a state or experience of being carried away by overwhelming emotion
b
: a mystical experience in which the spirit is exalted to a knowledge of divine things
3
often capitalized : the final assumption of Christians into heaven during the end-time according to Christian theology
rapturous
ˈrap-chə-rəs How to pronounce rapture (audio)
ˈrap-shrəs
adjective
rapturously adverb
rapturousness noun

rapture

2 of 2

verb

raptured; rapturing; raptures

transitive verb

1
: to fill with joy : enrapture
How buoyant his heart! and so melted with tender thoughts, so raptured with imaginings!Baynard Rush Hall
An entire generation is raptured by the Netflix original, "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness."Rachel Mckenzie
2
: to cause (a Christian believer) to be taken up into heaven during the end-time
He clearly and persuasively argues from Scripture that Christians … will be rapturedOctavio Paz
The whole chapter is Paul's exhortation concerning Christ's resurrection. … He talks about those who will not die but be changed (raptured) and receive their glorified bodies.Tara Wentworth
… the faithful would have a reward better than eternal life after death. They'd skip death entirely, rapturedJoshua Rivera
Choose the Right Synonym for rapture

ecstasy, rapture, transport mean intense exaltation of mind and feelings.

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

rapture usually implies intense bliss or beatitude.

in speechless rapture

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

Examples of rapture in a Sentence

Noun We listened with rapture as the orchestra played. He listened to the wind in the trees, his eyes closed in rapture. Verb nature lovers will be raptured by the documentary's breathtaking cinematography
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The opening minutes, however, couldn’t be more different than that transcendent note of rapture. Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Feb. 2024 At school, in the 1980s, Moss and his classmates participated in rapture drills, akin to earthquake or fire drills. Emma Goldberg Desiree Rios, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2024 Bernstein’s recordings of this quasi-violin concerto with Gidon Kremer as soloist make the rapture absolutely real. Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2023 There’s one day of the year that has continued to have the Internet in rapture since its commencement: the release of Pantone’s Color of the Year. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 11 Dec. 2023 Some pilgrimages enshrine sorrow, like the Ashura in Iraq, which would be the last stop on my journey; others, like fiesta in Bolivia’s Copacabana, are pilgrimages of joy and rapture. Aatish Taseer, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2023 But Bracy wanted to witness — with his own eyes — college football’s latest rapture of black-and-gold insurgency. Tyler R. Tynes, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2023 The number of movies that fold in primal scenes of rapture at the cinema is beyond counting. A.o. Scott, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2023 The other major tour this year that is enticing fans to book transcontinental flights, and to show up costumed and in rapture, is also by a woman: Beyoncé, 41, whose Renaissance tour is a fantasia of disco and retrofuturism. Ben Sisario, New York Times, 5 Aug. 2023
Verb
Yet Mendes mostly sees a cheap, useful instrument in Deakins—a shortcut to rapture. A.a. Dowd, Chron, 8 Dec. 2022 Monk’s story is peppered with supernatural details, talk of evil spirits and unaccountable noises, and even an extremely old nun who may or may not rapture herself to heaven daily. Mike Mariani, Slate Magazine, 22 Mar. 2017 At this time of year, Linnaeus had reached the farthest and most remote part of his journey, an alpine region, where he was driven to rapture by the diversity of flowering plants. James Prosek, New York Times, 16 May 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rapture.' 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

Noun

rapt + -ure; (sense 3) probably after the use of rapere in the Vulgate (1 Thessalonians 4:17) to translate Greek harpázein "to take hold of, seize, snatch up"

Verb

derivative of rapture entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1636, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rapture was in 1594

Dictionary Entries Near rapture

Cite this Entry

“Rapture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rapture. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

rapture

noun
rap·​ture
ˈrap-chər
: a strong feeling of joy, delight, or love
rapturous
-chə-rəs
-shrəs
adjective
rapturously adverb
rapturousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on rapture

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