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
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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
-
Then comes the major celestial plot twist: Jupiter, the planet of luck and abundance, enters Cancer on June 9th at 5:02 p.m. EST.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
29 May 2025
-
This celestial bubble, discovered by astrophysicist Miroslav Filipović of Western Sydney University, is likely a supernova remnant (SNR), an expanding shell of gas and dust formed by shockwaves from a massive stellar explosion.—
Stefanie Waldek,
Space.com,
29 May 2025
Noun
-
The Ultimate 2025 Horoscope Predictions for Each Zodiac Sign, According to a Celebrity Astrologer Aries (March 20-April 19) Soar in the sky and glide high, Aries!—
Kyle Thomas,
People.com,
25 May 2025
-
Their appearance and length of time in the sky depends on the temperature, humidity, wind speed and altitude, according to the National Weather Service.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 May 2025
Noun
-
In Becker’s view, the rich are not merely chasing utopia, but prioritizing their vision of the future over the very real concerns of people in the present.—
John Kaag,
The Atlantic,
28 May 2025
-
Set in a decaying version of New York City following a major disaster, the film centers on a visionary architect (Adam Driver) who seeks to rebuild the city as a utopia, clashing with entrenched power structures.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
12 May 2025
Adjective
-
Just hold your fist at arm’s length, and about two and a half of your fist-widths to the right of Arcturus is where to start looking for the heavenly hair.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
25 May 2025
-
Perhaps heavenly father is looking down upon us, after all.—
Olivia Crandall,
Vulture,
15 May 2025
Noun
-
The expectation is the surrounding bliss will inspire her.—
Peter Rainer,
Christian Science Monitor,
21 May 2025
-
Then, drift off into bliss during a reinvigorating Imperial Relaxing Massage, delivered on a heated bed.—
Natasha Amar,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
Noun
-
Its iconic city walls, which have protected this marble paradise for over 500 years, have always been a magnet for travelers.—
Jenn Rice,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
-
Honolulu Get access to both a tropical paradise and a major metropolitan city in Honolulu.—
Amelia Mularz,
Architectural Digest,
28 May 2025
Noun
-
Everyone will be looking at the heavens through powerful amateur telescopes.—
Flip Putthoff,
Arkansas Online,
20 May 2025
-
Blasts of wind, rolling surf, fissuring earth: these elemental threats appear and disappear like signs from the heavens, harbingers of the end times.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
19 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Empyrean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/empyrean. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.
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