ravish

verb

rav·​ish ˈra-vish 

ravished; ravishing; ravishes

transitive verb

1

a

: to seize and take away by violence

b

: to overcome with emotion (such as joy or delight)

ravished by the scenic beauty

c

: rape entry 1 sense 1

2

: plunder, rob

ravisher noun

ravishment

ˈra-vish-mənt 

noun

Synonyms

• assault
• force
• rape
• violate

Examples of ravish in a Sentence

invaders guilty of murdering and ravishing villagers

travelers have long been ravished with wonder and awe by the immensity of the Great Pyramid at Giza

Recent Examples on the Web

The fresh, vegetable-forward menu changes daily, but many of the ravishing desserts tend to stay, including a signature spiced rum chocolate cake. —Nii Ayikwei Parkes, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2024

Bleating goats, barking dogs, and buck-buck-bucking chickens only add to the land’s rustic charm and ravishing natural beauty. —Mayer Rus, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2024

Writer-director Alex Garland’s vision of a near-future America in battle with itself has ravishing moments, an incredible central performance from Kirsten Dunst, and a heart-stopping pace. —Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2024

Tentativeness, intimacy, a fragile sense of himself as a musician—all were preserved on Songs of Leonard Cohen, a hushed and ravishing affair that is considered one of the finest debuts in pop history. —Stephen Metcalf, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ravisshen "to seize forcefully, plunder, carry away, carry off (a woman) in order to sexually assault her, seize as prey, carry up (into heaven), enrapture, sweep along," borrowed from Anglo-French raviss-, stem of ravir (also continental Old & Middle French), going back to Vulgar Latin *rapīre, re-formation of Latin rapere "to seize and carry off, take away by force, carry off a woman with the intent of sexually assaulting her, carry or sweep along, impel forcibly (to a course of conduct), snatch up, gather quickly" — more at rapid entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

ravish

verb

rav·​ish ˈrav-ish 

1

: to seize and take away by violence

2

: rape sense 2

3

: to overcome with a feeling and especially a feeling of joy or delight

ravisher noun

Legal Definition

ravish

transitive verb

rav·​ish ˈra-vish 

: rape

ravishment noun

Etymology

Middle English, to seize and take away by violence, from Middle French raviss-, stem of ravir, ultimately from Latin rapere to seize, rob