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 And then there’s Bryan’s, which is ethereal and swingy and, as Bi points out, barely a garment. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2026 With Voluminous Curls Everything about Zendaya’s layered lob, from its ethereal curls to its messy finish, is *chef’s kiss. — Omenaa Boakye, InStyle, 13 Aug. 2026 Usually hidden by the glare of our star, the ethereal corona and its pale, wavering streams of plasma are shaped by the sun’s magnetic field. — Claire Cameron & Lee Billings, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026 In Siberia, this ethereal dance will happen shortly after dawn; in Reykjavik, in the late afternoon; and, here in Valencia, the celestial pas-de-deux will boogie down just before sunset, right above the horizon. — Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 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
  • This unfettered access — which can be challenging to find among human gurus — is what’s drawing more people to AI for spiritual guidance.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The now-familiar blend of folk, soul, and psychedelia dominates the album aesthetically, though James took spiritual cues from recordings of meditative organ performances by Alice Coltrane.
    — Ryan Leas, Pitchfork, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of spiritual
Adjective
  • Ragged, jagged or fluffy edges point to a Bristol Type 6 stool, meaning waste moved through the colon too fast for water to be absorbed properly.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The rich chocolate and salty sweet bacon combo as well as the fluffy peanut butter mousse is what sets this dish apart from other s’mores.
    — Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of fluffy
Adjective
  • While city lights may wash out fainter celestial objects, the moon should shine through just fine.
    — Irene Wright, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • After being shut out of this month's total solar eclipse, the Americas will have the best seats in the celestial house when Earth's shadow briefly envelops the moon.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 27 Aug. 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
  • Luzzi’s heavenly version is layered with almond, fig, honey and bavaroise.
    — Ann Lee, TheWeek, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Mixed Bag Birds, Hell’s Canyon, Idaho Extreme western Idaho is the place to enjoy a heavenly upland bird hunt in Hell.
    — Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of heavenly
Adjective
  • Eddy has been spared the worst violence; the novel casts his racial privilege as a kind of metaphysical exemption.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • There seems to be a deliberate effort here to make the show more fun without dumbing down its metaphysical and philosophical implications.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of metaphysical
Adjective
  • The result resembles an angelic ring (hence the name) that keeps your hair up and out of the way and simultaneously looking effortlessly elegant.
    — Ariel Baker, InStyle, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Best known for his angelic voice that plays on R&B and pop, WONHO seems to be testing out something new, bordering on dance, EDM, club, house, mellow pop, and hyper-pop.
    — Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of angelic
Adjective
  • Dark movie theaters, or creepy home basements, are the classic venues of choice for those who love supernatural scares.
    — Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • But in between the jump scares and supernatural horrors is a story of motherhood and confronting the past.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 26 Aug. 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 2 Sep. 2026.

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