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
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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
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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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
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
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 dual-sided timepiece has another horological wonder on what should be the caseback—a celestial map that tracks the constellations in real time.—
Michael Solomon,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
-
Since then, a number of photographers have captured stunning photographs of the celestial visitor.—
Margherita Bassi,
Smithsonian Magazine,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The widespread alerts serve as a reminder of how unpredictable and forceful ocean conditions can become—even under sunny skies.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Apr. 2025
-
This blue-white star 77 light-years from our sun is one of the brightest in the April sky.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Image The Colony by Annika Norlin In a bucolic forest in Sweden, the small band of misfits at the heart of Norlin’s novel forms a mysterious commune that may be a utopia or may be a nightmare, depending on your perspective.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
-
Minnesotans fell prey to the idea that progressive values will create a utopia.—
Nicole Russell,
USA TODAY,
31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Kyoto, Japan Spring in Japan is synonymous with cherry blossoms with heavenly landscapes across the country.—
Miriam Porter,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
-
The series’ final scene finds Spencer, 45 years later, joining Alex in the afterlife for a heavenly waltz (in what appears to be the ballroom of the ocean liner where they were separated).—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
6 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
After three seasons of Netflix's dating documentary series centered on singles across the autism spectrum, fan favorites Abby Romeo and David Isaacman have some company in romantic bliss.—
Glamour,
Glamour,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Spoiler alert … anxiety will soon challenge our peaceful bliss, because where there are blooms and fresh new foliage, there will be pests.—
Rita Perwich,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Shop it now to turn your backyard into a paradise this summer.—
Nora Colomer,
FOXNews.com,
10 Apr. 2025
-
There are abundant trails for mountain biking and hiking, and the Roaring Fork River is a paradise for paddleboarders, kayakers, and flyfishers alike.—
Elise Taylor,
Vogue,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Emily Ratajkowski claps back at onlooker who told her to 'put on a shirt' during walk The mission, the first for an all-female space crew since 1963, was marketed as a feminist landmark − a chance to see mothers and female storytellers launch toward the heavens.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2025
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There was scarce a cloud in the heavens, yet the sky… appeared as black as if a storm was raging.—
Margherita Bassi,
Smithsonian Magazine,
15 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Empyrean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/empyrean. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
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