as in celestial
of, relating to, or suggesting heaven
movie scenes set in heaven often suggest that harps are the favored instruments for empyrean music
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in sky
a dwelling place of perfect happiness for the soul after death
ascended into the empyrean after a life filled with good deeds
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in utopia
an often imaginary place or state of utter perfection and happiness
most ticket buyers have no trouble envisioning the empyrean that winning the lottery would inevitably bring about
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 empyrean
Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 14 Jan. 2025
Larraín’s third subject, Maria Callas, despite being born to an ignoble family and having to face wartime poverty during the 1940s, was no stranger to the trappings of an empyrean existence, but in constantly having to live up to it, like Diana, her life met an untimely end.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 15 Dec. 2024
The event, held high up in skyscraping event venue Glasshouse Chelsea, offered sweeping vista views of the Manhattan and New Jersey skylines meant to evoke the game’s new empyrean setting.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 26 Apr. 2023
At their best, Harjo’s poems inform each other, linking her different modes, facilitating her tendency to zoom from a personal experience to a more empyrean one.
—Maya Phillips, The New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2019
Louis leaves Prior, drawing the first line in a pattern of abandonment that informs the entire play, and finally stretches all the way into the empyrean kingdom of an absent God.
—Ben Brantley, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2018
Our badges looked different, we were afforded fewer privileges, and we were certainly kept in the dark about The Algorithm (pause for heavenly-choir noise effect) and other such empyrean secrets.
—Lucas Peterson, GQ, 22 May 2017
Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2022
They are concealed in the empyrean.
—Frank Wilczek, WSJ, 14 Oct. 2021
Betts is part of the Sox Sensation club with Fred Lynn and Nomar Garciaparra, all wildly popular and productive players who turned out to be supernovas streaking across the Boston baseball empyrean instead of franchise polestars.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 18 July 2022
O’Keeffe places the viewer aloft, level with the bone, high up in the empyrean.
—Roxana Robinson, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2021
Unfortunately, for those who see Mr. Donnelly’s empyrean status less as the result of an Immaculate Kawnception and more as another harbinger of Artistic Kawpocalypse, the show will do little to change previous conceptions about him or his art.
—Brian P. Kelly, WSJ, 6 Mar. 2021
That could quickly propel a few black schools into the athletic empyrean, and change the place of HBCUs in American culture.
—Jemele Hill, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2019
Grahm reaches for the empyrean, and Locke brings him back to earth, a table full of wine bottles between them.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 14 May 2018
Adjective
In October, with three more of her novels now available in English and at least 20 other languages, the Swedish Academy awarded Han the Nobel Prize, elevating her to the empyrean realm reserved for writers of what is sometimes called world literature.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 14 Jan. 2025
Larraín’s third subject, Maria Callas, despite being born to an ignoble family and having to face wartime poverty during the 1940s, was no stranger to the trappings of an empyrean existence, but in constantly having to live up to it, like Diana, her life met an untimely end.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 15 Dec. 2024
The event, held high up in skyscraping event venue Glasshouse Chelsea, offered sweeping vista views of the Manhattan and New Jersey skylines meant to evoke the game’s new empyrean setting.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 26 Apr. 2023
At their best, Harjo’s poems inform each other, linking her different modes, facilitating her tendency to zoom from a personal experience to a more empyrean one.
—Maya Phillips, The New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2019
Louis leaves Prior, drawing the first line in a pattern of abandonment that informs the entire play, and finally stretches all the way into the empyrean kingdom of an absent God.
—Ben Brantley, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2018
Our badges looked different, we were afforded fewer privileges, and we were certainly kept in the dark about The Algorithm (pause for heavenly-choir noise effect) and other such empyrean secrets.
—Lucas Peterson, GQ, 22 May 2017
Noun
Magical empyrean is mundane Earth.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2022
They are concealed in the empyrean.
—Frank Wilczek, WSJ, 14 Oct. 2021
Betts is part of the Sox Sensation club with Fred Lynn and Nomar Garciaparra, all wildly popular and productive players who turned out to be supernovas streaking across the Boston baseball empyrean instead of franchise polestars.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 18 July 2022
O’Keeffe places the viewer aloft, level with the bone, high up in the empyrean.
—Roxana Robinson, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2021
Unfortunately, for those who see Mr. Donnelly’s empyrean status less as the result of an Immaculate Kawnception and more as another harbinger of Artistic Kawpocalypse, the show will do little to change previous conceptions about him or his art.
—Brian P. Kelly, WSJ, 6 Mar. 2021
That could quickly propel a few black schools into the athletic empyrean, and change the place of HBCUs in American culture.
—Jemele Hill, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2019
Grahm reaches for the empyrean, and Locke brings him back to earth, a table full of wine bottles between them.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 14 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for empyrean
Adjective
-
The size of a celestial object in the night sky depends on both its physical size and — just as importantly — its distance from the observer.—
Darryl Seligman,
Space.com,
25 Feb. 2025
-
On Friday and Saturday nights between March and November resident astronomer and star wonk Brad Hoehne hosts entertaining celestial programs using the park’s high-powered telescope.—
Jen Murphy,
Outside Online,
24 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Because blue light scatters relatively easily, that's why our sky appears in that color most of the time.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA TODAY,
19 Feb. 2025
-
The water was much clearer there, and the sky overhead was suddenly brighter.—
Valerie Rains,
Southern Living,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Hide & Seek: early Josh O’Connor movie about building a utopia.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2025
-
The author wishes for some utopia based on her humanitarian ideas.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The forecast for Saturday (Feb. 22) at press time was 69 degrees and sunny, a heavenly day to try out Hollis’ barbecue for yourself, as Joe’s Holy Smoke enjoys its first day at 1515 Lee Road in Orlando.—
Amy Drew Thompson,
Orlando Sentinel,
19 Feb. 2025
-
Far too many people overlook this distinction and end up like the German Christians and the antebellum slave owners, trying to find a heavenly origin for things that have nothing to do with the character of their God.—
B.G. White,
Hartford Courant,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Plus, nothing captures the essence of domestic bliss quite like shopping for home essentials together.—
Yacob Reyes,
Axios,
14 Feb. 2025
-
The Danes have successfully positioned themselves as experts in creating a certain kind of domestic bliss and finding happiness in the everyday.—
Ana Morales,
Vogue,
12 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Located on the Gulf of Mexico, just off the southern tip of Texas, the island is a tropical paradise.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Feb. 2025
-
French designer Coco Chanel attended when Neiman's converted the Dallas store into a Parisian paradise in 1957, the company's first annual Fortnight event.—
Tasha Tsiaperas,
Axios,
21 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The heavens are aligned with your relationships, Sagittarius.—
Kyle Thomas,
People.com,
16 Feb. 2025
-
In the meantime, enjoy the beauty that is the Great Nebula of Orion in the late winter heavens.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
16 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Empyrean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/empyrean. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share