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
raptured; rapturing; raptures
1
: to fill with joy : enrapture
How buoyant his heart! and so melted with tender thoughts, so raptured with imaginings!—
Baynard Rush Hall
Baynard Rush HallAn entire generation is raptured by the Netflix original, "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness."—Rachel Mckenzie
Rachel Mckenzie2
: 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 raptured …—Octavio Paz
Octavio PazThe 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
Tara Wentworth… the faithful would have a reward better than eternal life after death. They'd skip death entirely, raptured …—Joshua Rivera
Joshua RiveraExamples 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
John Kaag, The Atlantic, 28 May 2025
With the rapture so near, who had time for a wife and kids?
—S. C. Cornell, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2025
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 May 2025
One is littered with long-dead corpses suspended in the air as if they were raptured.
—PC Magazine, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rapture
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Noun
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
With the rapture so near, who had time for a wife and kids?
—S. C. Cornell, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2025
Verb
IndieWire has talked to people who loved or hated the film, with rarely any opinion in between and certainly never without a strong response of some kind from anyone — whether out of boredom or raptures over Aster’s in-your-face replay of our worst COVID-times memories.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 May 2025
One is littered with long-dead corpses suspended in the air as if they were raptured.
—PC Magazine, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rapture
Cite this Entry
“Rapture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rapture. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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