rapture 1 of 2

rapture

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word rapture distinct from other similar nouns?

The words ecstasy and transport are common synonyms of rapture. While all three words mean "intense exaltation of mind and feelings," rapture usually implies intense bliss or beatitude.

in speechless rapture

How do ecstasy and rapture relate to one another?

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

When might transport be a better fit than rapture?

In some situations, the words transport and rapture are roughly equivalent. However, 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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rapture
Noun
But why is the concept of rapture so prominent in Portuguese and agony in Hindi? Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 9 May 2025 At times brutal and always volatile, the album functions as a sort of electro-shock therapy applied from the shoulders down, layering hard beats, ambient whorls, and nervous acid ticks to trigger a state of full-body rapture. Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 18 Apr. 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
  • In this episode, the polarizing fruit that sends its fans into ecstasy and its enemies running for air.
    Ari Daniel, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 June 2025
  • Cassie admitted that ecstasy made her feel euphoric and aroused, while ketamine would make her dissociative.
    Tracy Wright , Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • Thus far, the administration has managed to fend off initial court challenges, maintain arrests at a steady clip, and generate images of a ruthless crackdown in a liberal bastion that delight the president’s supporters.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
  • Jackson had been delighted by the number of young people who had turned out, a perennial goal for august cultural institutions.
    Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • Stalter and Dunham are a match made in a very awkward heaven.
    Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 11 July 2025
  • But Scripture promises that one day, Christ will make all things new—a new heaven and a new earth (2 Peter 3:13).
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 8 July 2025
Verb
  • Seven decades after first becoming entranced by country music and Western culture, former Beatles drummer and storied rock frontman Ringo Starr finally made his Grand Ole Opry debut on Friday evening.
    Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
  • Of note is the incorporation of vocabulary from Ivan’s archaic Norm language, a special touch that entranced me.
    The Know, Denver Post, 1 June 2025
Noun
  • The things that bring us joy come out early in life.
    Maria Gracia Santillana Linares, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • The Ten of Cups signals joy, connection, and harmony in your personal life.
    Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • The man was pronounced dead at the scene and the woman was transported to a hospital in critical condition.
    Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2025
  • An unidentified 16-year-old boy was pronounced dead at the scene and five other victims were transported to the hospital, police said.
    ABC News, ABC News, 5 July 2025
Noun
  • While Mercury in Leo encourages you to prioritize your happiness on a daily basis, Saturn in Aries brings structure to your finances and sense of security.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 27 June 2025
  • Bhutan has become famous for its different approach to governance, which has been admired in the West, for example calculating gross national happiness or mandating that 60% of the country remain forested.
    Katharina Buchholz, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Floodwaters carry away a house Monday in Ruidoso, New Mexico.
    NBC News, NBC news, 10 July 2025
  • County Sheriff Kenny Bernard previously said that three people were swimming at Kimble Point, around 7:21 p.m. local time on Thursday, when their boat was carried away by the current, per CBS affiliate KWCH.
    Becca Longmire, People.com, 9 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rapture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rapture. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.

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