ethereal

adjective

i-ˈthir-ē-əl How to pronounce ethereal (audio)
Definition of etherealnext
1
as in spiritual
not composed of matter that ethereal attribute that every performer should have—charisma

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fluffy
resembling air in lightness the bakery's scrumptious pastries have a wonderfully ethereal consistency

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in celestial
of, relating to, or suggesting heaven described as a land of ethereal beauty and tranquility

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 ethereal However, the show was still a memorable night for many, as the fog provided a unique ethereal image of the bridge. — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 4 July 2026 Presenting to the market for the first time, her experiments with borosilicate glass create surprising effects, including a brass-like finish or the Space Oddity collection with its ethereal colorways. — Alex Wynne, Footwear News, 2 July 2026 To compliment the sights, NASA also produced new sonifications—a method to transform astronomical information into often ethereal soundscapes. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 July 2026 The 12 palatial pool villas are even more extravagant, with infinity pools, outdoor showers, and ethereal canopy beds. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for ethereal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ethereal
  1. spiritual
  2. fluffy
  3. celestial
  4. incorporeal
  5. heavenly
  6. metaphysical
  7. angelic
  8. supernatural
Adjective
  • In his work, Hujar returned again and again to the spiritual life of his sitters—an invisible presence in his images.
    — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
  • The principal of my Christian high school regularly attributed world happenings—terrorist attacks, presidents elected or not elected, the price of gas—to unseen spiritual warfare.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2026
Definition of spiritual
Adjective
  • All the exquisite details—the man’s glowing salmon-pink tunic, the cherrylike tip of his headdress, the fluffy tassels—are an excuse for pure visual stimulation.
    — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
  • At the end of March, a video of a big white fluffy dog getting out of Swift’s car began to make the rounds on Twitter.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 13 July 2026
Definition of fluffy
Adjective
  • The classic sky sight comes as the Perseid meteor shower begins — one of 2026’s celestial highlights.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • Identified by French astrologer André Barbault — whose work examined how slow-moving planetary cycles correspond with larger historical developments — the celestial pattern pinpoints a period of intense collective change.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026
Definition of celestial
Adjective
  • Followers of the Abrahamic religions are supposed to treat God as immaterial and incorporeal, yet these early Yahweh worshippers imagined him as fully embodied.
    — Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Positioned as a large-scale genre event, the series updates the legendary SFX property with a contemporary political and social edge, with Shun Oguri leading the cast as a detective hunting a seemingly incorporeal killer.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 27 Jan. 2026
Definition of incorporeal
Adjective
  • The plush cotton consistently feels heavenly underfoot after every shower.
    — Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 10 July 2026
  • By the end of the movie, even something as natural as daylight has become suffused with a heavenly glow, and the beads of sweat on a dying body sparkle with a beauty that Emily had never been able to find anywhere else in her tragedy of a life.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 26 June 2026
Definition of heavenly
Adjective
  • This spiritual, metaphysical, and downright weird show is ostensibly about a nun’s quest to find and destroy the Holy Grail, which will result in the deactivation of the powerful, pervasive AI that gives the series its name.
    — Sara Netzley, Entertainment Weekly, 2 July 2026
  • In both the real and metaphysical locations of the show, the backgrounds are all painted by hand, something which was pointed out took up a lot of time due to the number of paintings in the show and due to the number of montages.
    — Kambole Campbell, Variety, 25 June 2026
Definition of metaphysical
Adjective
  • Instead of a typical black and white tuxedo, the groom broke a major tradition by donning the angelic hue, which is usually reserved just for the bride.
    — Christina Perrier, InStyle, 7 July 2026
  • Her nails, on the other hand (no pun intended), went in the opposite direction with a super-dark, short manicure, keeping the look from skewing too angelic.
    — Marci Robin, Allure, 6 July 2026
Definition of angelic
Adjective
  • This resulted not just in a convincing depiction of a supernatural creature but also a surprisingly tender one in keeping with the overall humanistic tone of the film.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 July 2026
  • Deon is also working with Kevin Hart’s production company to write, direct, and star in two new Black supernatural movies, which are slated to appear on Tubi in 2026.
    — Rachel Brodsky, Time, 14 July 2026
Definition of supernatural

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eternity
ethereal
ethereality
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Cite this Entry

“Ethereal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ethereal. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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