ecstatic
Americanadjective
-
of, relating to, or characterized by ecstasy or a state of sudden, intense, overpowering emotion.
an ecstatic frenzy;
ecstatic cheering for the winning team.
-
subject to or in a state of ecstasy; full of joy; rapturous.
They are absolutely ecstatic about their new baby.
noun
adjective
-
in a trancelike state of great rapture or delight
-
showing or feeling great enthusiasm
ecstatic applause
noun
Other Word Forms
- ecstatically adverb
- nonecstatic adjective
- nonecstatically adverb
- unecstatic adjective
- unecstatically adverb
Etymology
Origin of ecstatic
First recorded in 1620–30; from Middle French extatique, and Medieval Latin ecstaticus, from Greek ekstatikós, derivative of ecstasy + -ic ( def. )
Explanation
The adjective ecstatic turns the noun "ecstasy" into a descriptive word. When Celine hit that high note, the audience was ecstatic. Originally, ecstatic had religious connotations having to do with the sheer joy of knowing God or someone truly holy. That meaning remains today, but ecstatic now includes almost anything that's really pleasurable or wonderful. I was ecstatic at the news that I'd been nominated for an award. The entire world reacted with an ecstatic sense of glee when the Berlin Wall finally came down. The hangover the next day, though, wasn't so ecstatic.
Vocabulary lists containing ecstatic
The Giver
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
List 3
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When he noticed people were taking the soap and skipping the sermon, he printed his beliefs on the label—30,000 words of ecstatic philosophy wedged alongside boasts about the product’s many uses: Tooth cleaning!
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
Looking ecstatic and dazed, Arkapaw, who’s also the first Black director of photography to win an Oscar, ascended the platform to get her statue engraved beside her young son.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026
American rapper Snoop was given an ecstatic welcome on Tuesday when he watched the Swans for the first time since becoming a minority owner of the Welsh club.
From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026
While not ecstatic about the outlook, consumers are more upbeat about the economy than they appeared to be last month, the Conference Board said Tuesday.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 24, 2026
The worship of Dionysus was centered in these two ideas so far apart—of freedom and ecstatic joy and of savage brutality.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
