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 An effect inspired by the idea that metal is not a static material, the finish is created as craftspeople apply multiple layers of an oxidizing solution to the panels, resulting in an ethereal, painterly appearance. — Rachel Gallaher, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2025 But, these aren’t the bubble-hem basics of yesteryear—instead, these ethereal pieces remain grounded in strength. — Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2025 In the film, three young women separated by decades and thousands of miles are terrorized by the same ethereal threat that nobody, not even they, can properly see. — Jamie Lang, Variety, 5 Mar. 2025 If Santo Stefano is cerebral, Santa Sabina is ethereal — as iridescent as a soap bubble but as solid as stone. — The New York Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2025 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
  • This could be a powerful time of emotional release or perhaps discovering something that shifts your perspective — maybe even a spiritual awakening.
    — Valerie Mesa, People.com, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Private Collection is a labor of love for both artists — relaxed in the grooves, spiritual in the rhymes.
    — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2025
Definition of spiritual
Adjective
  • Tumble dry on low with dryer balls to keep the fill fluffy and even.
    — Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 23 Mar. 2025
  • To use, swirl a fluffy brush (Westman Atelier’s Powder Brush II is an excellent example of this) into the pigment, and be sure to dust off the excess powder.
    — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of fluffy
Adjective
  • Perhaps that’s why the International Astronomical Union, the official keeper of celestial names and definitions, doesn’t have a definition for what makes a moon.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Here’s celestial proof that spring has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of celestial
Adjective
  • If reason teaches that God is incorporeal, this means that God has no body; God does not physically see, nor do people see God.
    — Randy L. Friedman, The Conversation, 16 Feb. 2024
  • The digital files are incorporeal.
    — BostonGlobe.com, BostonGlobe.com, 9 June 2021
Definition of incorporeal
Adjective
  • Another heavenly spot is the Punta Pròdani beach with a rugged cove-like setting.
    — Catherine Sabino, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
  • Memphis rap was the key influence for them and many other phonk heads like DJ Smokey, who would rewire Playa Fly and Kingpin Skinny Pimp vocals with heavenly beats.
    — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of heavenly
Adjective
  • Beckett reminds us of the metaphysical vastness that the stage can contain.
    — Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Beelzebub, however, is nothing but evil incarnate, first appearing as a sort of metaphysical pollution—a writhing black oil-like glob suspended in midair.
    — Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of metaphysical
Adjective
  • The television version follows Michael Sheen and David Tennant in the shoes of the angelic Aziraphale and the demonic Crowley.
    — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025
  • On the three-track body of work, audiophiles hear angelic tunes, staticky sounds, tinkering and swirling synths, playful basslines, powerful and sultry singing, computer-sounding beats, shimmering soundscapes, acid basslines, liquid drum’n’bass and groove-inducing production.
    — Lisa Kocay, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
Definition of angelic
Adjective
  • The trailer soon shows just how those supernatural entities unfold, beginning with a sighting of two dogs in the forest that stand still in their tracks, as if frozen in time.
    — Jen Juneau, People.com, 19 Mar. 2025
  • The film represents a bold examination of the overseas Filipino worker experience, using supernatural horror as a lens to explore the emotional toll of migration.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of supernatural

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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 1 Apr. 2025.

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