atmospheric

adjective

at·​mo·​spher·​ic ˌat-mə-ˈsfir-ik How to pronounce atmospheric (audio)
-ˈsfer-
1
a
: of, relating to, or occurring in the atmosphere
atmospheric dust
b
: resembling the atmosphere : airy
2
: having, marked by, or contributing aesthetic or emotional atmosphere
an atmospheric inn
also : marked by an emphasis on impression or tone
atmospherically
ˌat-mə-ˈsfir-i-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce atmospheric (audio)
-ˈsfer-
adverb

Examples of atmospheric in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Rather than treating the tip of South America as a holding pen, Silversea has reimagined it as an alluring and deeply atmospheric destination in its own right. — Liam Hess, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026 That was wonderfully atmospheric and directly informed the setting of the hotel in the book. — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Oct. 2026 The track begins with an eerie, atmospheric guitar clang, but Gosling and his bandmate, Zach Shields, quickly pick up the pace, finding a sweet spot between unvarnished post-punk production and arena-sized emotions. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 27 Oct. 2026 Some space debris eventually returns to Earth, and certain components can survive the intense heat of atmospheric reentry. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for atmospheric

Word History

Etymology

atmosphere + -ic entry 1

First Known Use

1722, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of atmospheric was in 1722

Phrases Containing atmospheric

Rhymes for atmospheric

See All Rhymes for atmospheric

Browse Nearby Words

atmosphere
atmospheric
atmospheric absorption
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Atmospheric.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atmospheric. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

atmospheric

adjective
at·​mo·​spher·​ic ˌat-mə-ˈsfi(ə)r-ik How to pronounce atmospheric (audio)
-ˈsfer-
: of or relating to the atmosphere
atmospheric pressure
atmospherically
-i-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce atmospheric (audio)
adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Pyrrhic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All