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 These days, the shows are bigger and the tickets sell out in instants, filling theaters around the country with concertgoers whose response to Geese’s music can best be described as rabid ecstasy. — Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2026 Such is the ecstasy, the agony, of judgment, which was never for their benefit. — Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 8 Aug. 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 AtaiBeckley is developing several other psychedelics, including one related to MDMA, colloquially known as ecstasy. — Bob Woods, CNBC, 19 July 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
  • The joy in this book is how once-secret desire is eventually and fully met by, and with, love.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
  • One of them was Maggie Bieritz, one of those people who radiates joy and wit.
    — Heidi Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of joy
Noun
  • 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
  • And thanks to Tucson’s extraordinarily dark heavens, the Sonoran skyscape takes center stage with Peace Among the Stars.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of heaven
Noun
  • Still, some royal observers don’t think their happiness will last.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The happiness was real, for a time, but the two artists, each with his own distinct problems and needs, were not going to be happy together, or with anyone else, for long.
    — Alan Hollinghurst, The New York Review of Books, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of happiness
Noun
  • Over the course of more than twelve hours, the actor pings between heartache and euphoria.
    — Brian Raftery, Vanity Fair, 6 Oct. 2026
  • But as the initial euphoria of the rescue has subsided, officials have begun to raise difficult questions and trade accusations about the security blunders that could have led to a major disaster.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of euphoria
Noun
  • The more these three play together, the more the emotional register of their music keeps breaching into delight.
    — Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Even Jeff, post-premiere, has been a delight, just kind of letting the game play out and not foisting metaphors upon us at Tribal Council.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of delight
Noun
  • And just like in the original movie, there was disappointment along with elation.
    — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Sep. 2026
  • It is disjointed beyond belief, a wrestling match between dismay and elation.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of elation
Noun
  • His ambition is mostly to lure new customers — including the #BookTok generation — off their screens and into the stores to experience the IRL pleasures of book shopping.
    — Andy Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Your work has long played with pleasure, kink and the tension between what is proper and what is provocative — from your infamous jockstraps to the recent patent leather groom who closed the recent men’s show in Milan.
    — Tyler Matthew Oyer, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of pleasure
Noun
  • The voluntary intoxication loophole means a person may be too impaired to make a meaningful choice and still fall outside the law’s protections for incapacity.
    — Ilana Turko, New York Daily News, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Officers spoke with Perez and observed signs of intoxication, including the odor of alcohol on Perez, red and watery eyes and slurred speech, according to the DA’s Office.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 2 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 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ecstasy

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ecstasy

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