raptly
Americanadverb
-
with the attention completely engaged; in a way that shows deep absorption in something.
It was a story of courage and hope that kept me reading raptly until the final page.
-
with intense joy or delight; blissfully; ecstatically.
It was a moment to meditate, look raptly at the night sky, and be overcome by the awesomeness of the universe.
Etymology
Origin of raptly
First recorded in 1640–50, for an earlier sense; rapt ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )
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.
The big party stopped for a while and everyone listened raptly.
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2024
The jury then listened raptly as former Daniels attorney Keith Davidson described how annoying he found the man from their very first interaction in 2011.
From Slate ● May 14, 2024
I couldn’t believe my attention was held so raptly by the story of 12th-century nuns, but I loved their community, their personalities, their ambitions especially.
From New York Times ● Dec. 24, 2022
Her gestures are raptly expressive and sweeping, as though she is not so much creating sound but embracing it and those who make it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2022
Every day I listened raptly to customers who felt like talking, and it all added to my education.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
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.
