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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Recent Examples of ethereal
It has been edited with Charli xcx’s Brat font, used in ethereal vlog montages, and has generally become a motto in the new year.
—
Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
The texture of the lace, when partnered with the light drape of a long skirt, creates an ethereal yet powerful effect.
—Alex Sales, Glamour, 3 Jan. 2026
Lubeck, who has aquamarine eyes and long, wavy hair, cuts an ethereal figure, like an elven noble.
—Emilia Petrarca, New Yorker, 2 Jan. 2026
But, the sweetest scene comes when Hanks' grieving Sam Baldwin imagines a New Year's Eve conversation with his deceased wife (played by the ethereal Carey Lowell).
—Kate Stroup, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ethereal
Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
The texture of the lace, when partnered with the light drape of a long skirt, creates an ethereal yet powerful effect.
—Alex Sales, Glamour, 3 Jan. 2026
Lubeck, who has aquamarine eyes and long, wavy hair, cuts an ethereal figure, like an elven noble.
—Emilia Petrarca, New Yorker, 2 Jan. 2026
But, the sweetest scene comes when Hanks' grieving Sam Baldwin imagines a New Year's Eve conversation with his deceased wife (played by the ethereal Carey Lowell).
—Kate Stroup, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ethereal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ethereal
Adjective
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Aloka was found by Bhikkhu Pannakara, vice president of the center and spiritual leader of the walk, during a peace walk in India, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Jan. 2026
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When the music dissolves into an ethereal, ambient soundscape and a psychedelic, spiritual journey, that’s where finding the right amount of energy, aggression, violence, and grief, to support the story and to explain things that the dialog couldn’t, was the most challenging part.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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That usually means leaning into heavier materials and insulating textures such as a particularly warm chunky knit, fluffy accessories, and cold-weather fabrics like wool and leather.—
Julia Guerra,
InStyle,
15 Jan. 2026
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The fluffy bread surrounding the apple center balances the tartness perfectly.—
Austin American Statesman,
Austin American Statesman,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The night sky is buzzing with celestial activity this month.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
13 Jan. 2026
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Like Capricorn’s celestial ruler, Saturn, Evan operates with an internal moral compass, often carrying the weight of accountability for those around him.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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In fact, magical life has the potential to be even more radically incorporeal than our own.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 June 2025
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Indeed, in stark contrast to the incorporeal nature of a digital image, each of Winant’s photographs is, in a sense, a discrete body: a fallible material entity that boasts a hidden physical history and that will compositionally deteriorate over time.—
Jessica Simmons-Reid,
Artforum,
1 June 2025
Adjective
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This is a heavenly take on hot chocolate, using dark chocolate and whipping cream.—
Midwest Living,
Midwest Living,
5 Jan. 2026
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As if that weren’t enough, the heavenly scent really solidifies its place as one of the best.—
Deanna Pai,
Glamour,
27 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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The real story is Latour’s encounter with the territory—transfigured, by Cather’s prose, into a metaphysical battleground and a sphinxlike witness.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
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Sirāt‘s central themes are deeply rooted in both metaphysical allegory and contemporary societal critique.—
Robert Lang,
Deadline,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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And her co-stars—Jacob Elordi as a brooding Heathcliff, Alison Oliver as an angelic Isabella Linton, Hong Chau as a steely Nelly Dean, and Shazad Latif as a swaggering Edgar Linton—would also be subverting our expectations.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
10 Jan. 2026
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The 15-track project finds the cousins fully leaning into their corridos foundation, trading verses and melodies in their signature raspy delivery — but also tapping into elevated production and angelic choir arrangements between songs.—
Tomás Mier,
Rolling Stone,
26 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Set in Hawkins, Indiana in the 1980s, Stranger Things starts with a true-crime mystery that quickly turns supernatural.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
7 Jan. 2026
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An epic with supernatural and epigenetic overtones, this debut novel looks like a feast of a story.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ethereal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ethereal. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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