ravishing 1 of 2

adjective

ˈra-vi-shiŋ How to pronounce ravishing (audio)
Definition of ravishingnext
as in beautiful
very pleasing to look at the hotel offers rooms with a ravishing view of the ocean

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ravishing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of ravish
1
as in violating
to engage in sexual activity and especially intercourse with a person unwilling or unable to give consent invaders guilty of murdering and ravishing villagers

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in pleasing
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 ravishing
Adjective
The vision conceived by museum director and Chief Executive Michael Govan and architect Peter Zumthor is not perfect, and brings with it a modest set of frustrations, but as a whole, the installation registers as ravishing and bracingly fresh. — Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026 Monroe went from notable to notorious when, in 1952, journalist Aline Mosby first reported that a pinup calendar—featuring a ravishing blonde nude spread across red velvet—was in fact a photograph of the burgeoning star. — Joshua John Miller, Vanity Fair, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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 See All Example Sentences for ravishing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ravishing
  1. beautiful
  2. violating
  3. pleasing
  4. lovely
  5. raping
  6. delighting
  7. gorgeous
  8. assaulting
Adjective
  • With that, Dorinda gathers everyone (except for Chanel Ayan, who is too beautiful for the cold) out into the freezing night for the fireworks that end this celebration.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Indeed, this celestial crustacean has no star brighter than 4th magnitude and its only claims to fame are its membership in the zodiac and beautiful M44.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of beautiful
Verb
  • The group formally processed the vessel’s departure and was trying to avoid violating Panamanian law.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
  • San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York has been suspended for six regular-season games and fined $500,000 for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, the league announced Friday.
    — Erick Mendoza, NBC news, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of violating
Verb
  • For his fourth feature, Post Tenebras Lux, Reygadas took a major detour toward the avant-garde and the personal, in a move that garnered him some detractors while pleasing his more hardcore fans.
    — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2026
  • But a taste for a cheap, crowd-pleasing meal may be something the two leaders share.
    — Dee-Ann Durbin, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of pleasing
Adjective
  • The Brasserie beside it, a continuation of the same vibe, focuses on French dishes with some good vegetarian options, and hosts a breakfast buffet with lovely local products.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The lovely south-facing casement windows in the living room are original; at the other end of the apartment is enough room for a second bedroom or office, plus a closet).
    — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of lovely
Verb
  • The Cornell 7 lawsuit refers to the legal document filed by an unnamed Cornell University student who accused seven men of raping and drugging her at a frat house party in October 2024 — and faced no legal consequences.
    — Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Early in 1976, Presnell was accused of raping a 13-year-old girl in Ocala, Florida.
    — Thomas Lake, AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of raping
Verb
  • Tse Yang was the finest Chinese restaurant to open in Madrid, and its crispy Peking Duck has been delighting locals for years.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Here, misfits are welcome, and bric-a-brac is part of the appeal; the wonderfully bizarre name and devil-may-care attitude have been confusing (and delighting) first-timers for more than 70 years.
    — Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of delighting
Adjective
  • There’s his drop-dead gorgeous spouse, a huge welcoming home, darling children, and a pillar-of-the-community job that gives him a clean conscience.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The book is full of gorgeous photos of their projects, including their own homes (Bunny’s mossy green-colored library, for example), plus their inspirations and design philosophies.
    — Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of gorgeous
Verb
  • The woman took a photo of the man from a distance, and detectives recognized him as the man suspected of assaulting two women with a traffic cone, police said.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Multiple women told police that Weinberg lured them to his home, almost always under the guise of a photo shoot, before restraining and assaulting them.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of assaulting

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Cite this Entry

“Ravishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ravishing. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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