ecstatic

adjective

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ec·stat·ic | \ ek-ˈsta-tik

, ik-ˈsta- \

Definition of ecstatic

(Entry 1 of 2)

: of, relating to, or marked by ecstasy

ecstatic

noun

ec·stat·ic | \ ek-ˈsta-tik

, ik-ˈsta- \

Definition of ecstatic (Entry 2 of 2)

: one that is subject to ecstasies

Other Words from ecstatic Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about ecstatic

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Synonyms & Antonyms for ecstatic

Synonyms: Adjective

Antonyms: Adjective

depressed

Did You Know?

Adjective

Ecstatic has been used in our language since at least 1590, 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 his or her mind with intense emotion. In early use, "ecstatic" was sometimes linked to mystic trances, out-of-body experiences, and temporary madness. Today, however, it most 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 Unsurprisingly, fans are ecstatic about the video, excited to see Chase and Charli officially reunite. — Carolyn Twersky, Seventeen, "Charli D’Amelio and Chase Hudson Heat Things Up As Love Interests in His Newest Music Video," 23 Apr. 2021 Naturally, fans were ecstatic about learning the premiere date. — Country Living Staff, Country Living, "Fans Have A Lot to Say After Erin Napier Reveals the Premiere Date for 'Home Town Takeover' 2021," 4 Apr. 2021 After a year of playing games to empty arenas amid the pandemic, the NBA is ecstatic about the frenzy. — NBC News, "Sports cards have gone virtual, and in a big way," 1 Apr. 2021 After a year of playing games to empty arenas amid the pandemic, the NBA is ecstatic about the frenzy. — Matt Ott, Fortune, "Digital sports cards are receiving a popularity boost in the pandemic era," 31 Mar. 2021 After a year of playing games to empty arenas amid the pandemic, the NBA is ecstatic about the frenzy. — Matt Ott, Star Tribune, "Sports cards have gone virtual, and in a big way," 31 Mar. 2021 Utahn Neylan McBaine, founder of The LDS Women Project, was ecstatic about the new roles for the faith’s European women. — The Salt Lake Tribune, "New leadership roles to expand women’s influence in LDS Church," 12 Mar. 2021 The kids, of course, are ecstatic about her new job, which fittingly came during Women’s History Month. — Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY, "Maia Chaka, NFL's first Black female official, is a teacher whose conflict-resolution skills will be key on field," 8 Mar. 2021 Joan Johns Cobbs, Barbara Johns’ younger sister, is ecstatic about the coming honor. — Aaron Morrison, ajc, "SPLC: At least 160 Confederate symbols taken down in 2020," 24 Feb. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Almost like a bath bomb for kids, these will make your little one ecstatic to take a bath each day. — Kiana Murden, CNN Underscored, "33 cute and clever stocking stuffers under $15 on Amazon," 14 Dec. 2020 If Welch’s voice delivers the good news or the hard news of the world, Rawlings’s voice comes underneath, asking how much deeper the sadness can go or what fresh heights the ecstatic can climb to. — Hanif Abdurraqib, New York Times, "How Gillian Welch and David Rawlings Held Onto Optimism," 3 Nov. 2020 But for the truly purple acolytes, each version offers something worth hearing, including an ecstatic, nearly seven-minute more-cowbell! — Sarah Rodman, EW.com, "The Sign o' the Times box set is a Prince completist's dream," 25 Sep. 2020 Now, Joe Biden selected California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate — and McDonald, Democratic National Committee member from Utah, is over-the-moon ecstatic. — Lee Davidson, The Salt Lake Tribune, "Utah Democrats see Kamala Harris as a unifying force for a divided America," 11 Aug. 2020 In late May, as protests over the death of George Floyd erupted across the nation, Satya also opened up its kirtan, a practice in the yoga tradition of call-and-response ecstatic singing, to the POC community at large. — Raksha Vasudevan, Outside Online, "This Yoga Co-Op Is Diversifying Teacher Training," 31 July 2020 Bong, his camera at once ecstatic and controlled, brings the pieces together with the brio of a conductor attacking a great symphony. — Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, "Review: Thrilling and devastating, ‘Parasite’ is one of the year’s very best movies," 9 Oct. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ecstatic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for ecstatic

Adjective

borrowed from Medieval Latin ecstaticus, extaticus, borrowed from Greek ekstatikós "inclined to depart from, out of one's senses, causing mental derangement," 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