ecstasy

noun

ˈek-stə-sē How to pronounce ecstasy (audio)
Definition of ecstasynext
as in joy
a state of overwhelming usually pleasurable emotion actors are typically in ecstasy upon winning an Oscar

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word ecstasy distinct from other similar nouns?

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

Where would rapture be a reasonable alternative to ecstasy?

While the synonyms rapture and ecstasy are close in meaning, rapture usually implies intense bliss or beatitude.

in speechless rapture

When would transport be a good substitute for ecstasy?

The words transport and ecstasy can be used in similar contexts, but 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 ecstasy St Rita de Cascia in ecstasy in front of the figure of Christ on the cross, 19th century. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026 Dance movies marvelously translate primal emotions into motion, the human body becoming a supple instrument deftly communicating the pain, ecstasy and confusion of being alive. — Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026 When the cameras spanned the crowd, there was ecstasy everywhere. — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026 Authorities reportedly seized 70,114 ecstasy pills weighing about 26 kilograms (57 pounds) as well as 4 grams of methamphetamine. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ecstasy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ecstasy
  1. joy
  2. heaven
  3. happiness
  4. euphoria
  5. delight
  6. elation
  7. pleasure
  8. intoxication
Noun
  • Children crowded the play areas, despite the damp, gray weather, shrieking with joy (and in one instance, crying).
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Italians are fed energetically with the sustenance of beauty, ease, and joy.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of joy
Noun
  • Tasting menu guests can expect six courses of heaven, filled with handcrafted pasta, fresh seafood and elevated entrees that with linger with you.
    — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
  • This world’s heavens are lit with cosmic rays, its cityscapes otherworldly — everything seems to service an unabashed romanticism.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of heaven
Noun
  • But the stand-alone fragment, in the seeming spirit of Franz Kafka’s surreal and unsettling fiction, links success to misery, and happiness to death.
    — Robert S. Levine, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Buffett’s view is supported by research that shows that people with supportive spouses tend to take on more rewarding challenges throughout their lives, and end up having more personal growth and happiness.
    — Shayla Love, Vox, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of happiness
Noun
  • Counted in that giddy stretch of unexpected euphoria was actual perfection, a run from August through January without defeat, capped off with, of all ridiculous things, a national championship.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Stocks have posted double-digit annual returns since 2023, largely on the back of euphoria over artificial intelligence, and stocks are assets that tend to be concentrated among older households.
    — Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of euphoria
Noun
  • Grenada The new year marks the 150th anniversary of Spicemas, the annual August carnival in Grenada, which is known as the Spice Island due to its cultivation of nutmeg, cloves and other scented delights.
    — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
  • That may not be everybody’s notion of delight, but each to his own.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of delight
Noun
  • Her feelings of elation, though, were tempered by a need to help others facing the same fight.
    — Karen Borta, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • So just imagine his joy and elation when those nearest and dearest to him recently gathered to give him an epic send-off to the Sunshine State to see his favorite team in action at the University of Florida in Gainesville.
    — Patrick Snell, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of elation
Noun
  • While some call it innovative, is there something that gets missed when the hard conversations about safety and pleasure become a digital feedback loop?
    — Brittany Luse, NPR, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Neufchatel Cheese This is just diet cream cheese, for those who prefer to sacrifice the small pleasures in life.
    — Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of pleasure
Noun
  • The officer who filed the police report believed the accuser lacked the ability to give consent, due to her age and level of intoxication seen in the livestream.
    — Penny Kmitt, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Eppright was booked into the Bexar County jail Thursday on charges of intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury, court records show.
    — Annasofia Scheve, San Antonio Express-News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of intoxication

Browse Nearby Words

ecstasies
ecstasy
ecstatic
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Cite this Entry

“Ecstasy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ecstasy. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ecstasy

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ecstasy

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