ravish

1
as in to delight
to fill with overwhelming emotion (as wonder or delight) travelers have long been ravished with wonder and awe by the immensity of the Great Pyramid at Giza

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to violate
to engage in sexual activity and especially intercourse with a person unwilling or unable to give consent invaders guilty of murdering and ravishing villagers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ravish At least 19 people have died as an outbreak of tornadoes ravished through the U.S. South and Midwest early Saturday morning, injuring multiple people across several states and leaving a path of destruction in the wake. Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2025 The Golden State was recently ravished by wildfires that destroyed Los Angeles homes and challenged local firefighters who combated flames amidst issues obtaining water. Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 6 Feb. 2025 But those experiences ended up fueling her 2024 EP, The Drive Home, which drew ravishing reviews for its poetic metaphors pulled from her childhood memories. Meagan Jordan, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2025 More than a dozen comedians and musicians are coming together to support Los Angeles following the devastating wildfires that claimed at least 25 lives and ravished tens of thousands of acres in January. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ravish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ravish
Verb
  • Jackson had been delighted by the number of young people who had turned out, a perennial goal for august cultural institutions.
    Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 10 July 2025
  • Thus far, the administration has managed to fend off initial court challenges, maintain arrests at a steady clip, and generate images of a ruthless crackdown in a liberal bastion that delight the president’s supporters.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • According to a spokesperson for the National Police Association, there are too many people violating home detention in Maryland who are committing crimes while wearing their ankle monitors.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 11 July 2025
  • Police can issue citations to self-driving vehicles' registered owners under a variety of circumstances, including if the car violates a traffic law resulting in a collision.
    Sasha Hupka, AZCentral.com, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • Then the governor, seemingly trying to please the president, vetoed laws that assist Floridians in survival mode.
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 July 2025
  • Two tiebreaking runs scored, a fact that pleased Altuve far more than another milestone in a career full of them.
    Chandler Rome, New York Times, 4 July 2025
Verb
  • My heroes weren’t wandering poets enraptured with the sea.
    James Rebanks June 26, Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
  • Related Stories The Movies That Have Made More Than $1 Billion At The Box Office How ‘A Minecraft Movie’ Defied Expectations To Become A Box Office Block-Buster Charlie is a happily married and devoted CIA analyst, enraptured by his data and cyber skills at his desk at Langley.
    Pete Hammond, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Long fascinated by the moa, Jackson and Walsh have been collecting bones of the extinct bird for years.
    Degen Pener, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2025
  • Michael Karin has long been fascinated by what happens when inflammation — ideally a short-term burst of biological activity to promote healing or fight infection — turns chronic and potentially deadly.
    Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 July 2025
Verb
  • This level of detail positions your content as the go-to resource that satisfies even the most specific queries.
    Kevin Dam, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • Now, Diesel has confirmed that Fast and Furious will end the long journey classically by satisfying the three wishes that fans made.
    Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • In this enchanting new adventure, Princess Tiana brings her whole community together for a spectacular parade.
    Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 11 July 2025
  • Here's to the tracks with enchanting bridges, haunting vocals and vault tracks have felt like secret letters.
    Bryan West, The Tennessean, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • The Captive, starring Julio Peña as Miguel de Cervantes, a wounded navy soldier who, after being taken captive to Algiers in 1575, tries to escape and enthralls those around him with this storytelling.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 26 June 2025
  • Either way — covering her own songs or gems by other artists — Erivo is likely to enthrall.
    George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ravish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ravish. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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