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 Since the original appeared in 1925, the ethereal moniker has spanned eight generations. — Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026 Set the scene Etéreo, Auberge Collection (which draws its name from the Spanish word for ‘ethereal’) is only a 30-minute drive from the Cancún airport, but this slice of heaven on the Riviera Maya feels light-years away from the chaos. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026 As neural-network pioneer Geoffrey Hinton, Mark Rylance projects an almost ethereal braininess, drifting through rooms as though the rest of him were on some other plane of existence. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026 Eva Marie Saint, the ethereal beauty who won the best supporting actress Oscar for her work in her first motion picture, On the Waterfront, then dazzled audiences as a double agent in North by Northwest, died Tuesday. — Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 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
  • Crowley said Aiwass dictated to him the Book of the Law, which became the scripture for Crowley's new spiritual philosophy of Thelema.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
  • These spiritual beings are nothing if not preoccupied with the state of material things, such as the temperature of the wine, for example.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of spiritual
Adjective
  • And as far as cream cheese frostings go, this one is super light and fluffy.
    — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The salty bacon and fluffy eggs formed that classic breakfast flavor, while the potatoes added a satisfying heartiness without weighing the taco down.
    — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of fluffy
Adjective
  • Here are the peak dates to glimpse these dazzling celestial events, according to the American Meteor Society.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Heavily promoted as the most anticipated celestial event of the second half of the 20th century, the comet proved to be an underwhelming sight that belied promises of a spectacle never to be seen again.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 13 Oct. 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 delectable dip paired with the sugary chips was a heavenly combination, with a surprising burst of chocolate in every scoop.
    — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The duo think they’re headed to the heavenly afterlife only to arrive at the office of the Devil (voiced by Culkin), who seems overwhelmed by his job.
    — Marlow Stern, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of heavenly
Adjective
  • The latter perhaps most acutely reflected such dominant motifs in Gibson’s midcareer work as female figures, birds, and metaphysical reflectors.
    — The Editors of ARTnews, ARTnews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The best moments on records like Redemption, Blackheart, and Second Line use her knack for grand, metaphysical metaphors to charge her singing with epic stakes.
    — Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of metaphysical
Adjective
  • Sinot kept the angelic vibes going with a bubblegum pink blush and lined mauve lip, plus lots of lashes and a little body glitter across Larsson's chest.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Embodying an all-white look from head-to-toe that further leaned into the angelic theme, Tatum paired the shoes with the Milk of Silk minidress from Di Petsa.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of angelic
Adjective
  • Consider a ghost tour of Merchant’s House, a residence turned museum where supernatural phenomena have been reported since the death of its last occupant, in 1933.
    — Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The film draws on 1980s supernatural comedies, including Back to the Future, Ghostbusters and The Addams Family, alongside classic monster movies and horror spoofs.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of supernatural

Browse Nearby Words

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 29 Oct. 2026.

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