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Synonyms

otherworldly

American  
[uhth-er-wurld-lee] / ˈʌð ərˈwɜrld li /

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or devoted to another world, as the world of imagination or the world to come.

otherworldly British  
/ ˌʌðəˈwɜːldlɪ /

adjective

  1. of or relating to the spiritual or imaginative world

  2. impractical or unworldly

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • otherworldliness noun

Etymology

Origin of otherworldly

1870–75; other world + -ly

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.

A pair of harps, placed antiphonally in boxes at opposite sides of the stage, plus a theorbo, offer an otherworldly descant, as do the sounds of the celesta and chimes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

The race turns an ordinary office into an otherworldly production space.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

The IPO could value Elon Musk’s rocket company at an otherworldly $2 trillion.

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

Against Scotland there's Theo Attissogbe, the 21-year-old wing from Pau, Nicolas Depoortere, the 23-year-old centre from Bordeaux and his otherworldly team-mate, Louis Bielle-Biarrey - 24 tries in 25 Tests.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

Rowan puts his hands on either side of her face and squeezes, imbuing her with an otherworldly gold light.

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

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.