Definition of ravishnext
1
as in to delight
to fill with overwhelming emotion (as wonder or delight) travelers have long been ravished with wonder and awe by the immensity of the Great Pyramid at Giza

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2
as in to violate
to engage in sexual activity and especially intercourse with a person unwilling or unable to give consent invaders guilty of murdering and ravishing villagers

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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 ravish While all of them are ravishing to behold, some are every inch as far-fetched as a fox winning an archery tournament or Dave Chappelle becoming the sheriff of a small British city. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 11 June 2026 Returning to the Bay Area in this ravishing way after more than 30 years is a reminder that this Phantom hasn’t yet lost its bite. — David John Chávez, Mercury News, 1 June 2026 Del Toro’s dark, ravishing fantasy set in Francoist Spain — which had taken years to finance and produce, endured a brutal production and emerged from post barely in time — was the last film to screen in competition at that year’s festival. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026 However, her origin myth, in which she was hatched from an egg laid by her mother, Leda, who had been ravished by Zeus in the guise of a swan, is plainly invention. — Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ravish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ravish
Verb
  • There are other niceties too, like room for luminous tritium vials on a spinning module that should delight eager fidgeters, and the SceptriX's ability to strike up a spark with a separate ferro rod and light a fire.
    — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Those would prove to be the final points the Jayhawks’ offense produced in a 35-24 loss to the Wildcats, a result that delighted the K-State faithful who had booed Edwards during the contest.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Meta has long been criticized for its data privacy practices, and on Wednesday, a New Mexico judge ordered the company to pay $25 billion for violating the state’s consumer protection laws.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The company had previously said a penalty in the billions of dollars risked violating its constitutional rights to due process and protection from excessive fines.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • But all that warm, crowd-pleasing material is incongruously, fascinatingly, and not so comfortably fitted inside a story about great loss.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
  • And for options that can please any giftee on your list, check out gourmet food calendars filled with decadent chocolates, loose-leaf teas, jams and jellies, and more.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Lee, enraptured, sensed that a transfiguration was happening.
    — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • And the noise that this is making is something that is a cacophony of the world enraptured.
    — Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
Verb
  • Amid all the con artists and fraudsters this century has produced, Holmes is the one who fascinates us the most.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • He’s always been obsessed with historic epochs like the Civil War and World War II and fascinated with the post-war boom and the sojourns of Route 66.
    — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • In true dump cake style, add all ingredients to create a pumpkin filling and top with boxed yellow cake mix and butter to create a warm, satisfying dessert that’s perfect for holidays and weeknights.
    — 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
Verb
  • The boy was a soccer player who was enchanted by the idea of camping in the woods; Charlotte was bright and cheery, sometimes applying glitter to her father’s mustache.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Harvest markets and ghostly performances also enchant—not to mention a Halloween express to convey guests.
    — Michelle Mastro, Midwest Living, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Through it all, each member of the 11-person cast plays an instrument — or two or three or four — while toggling between characters, belting lyrics and executing Chi-San Howard’s enthralling choreography.
    — Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Before there was Georgia Oakley’s earthy, enthralling new spin on Jane Austen’s debut novel, there was Ang Lee’s 1995 standard-bearer of an adaptation.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

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

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