Meaning & use
enraptured
Last updated
“enraptured” is a form of “enrapture”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
adjectivenot comparableliterary
feeling extremely happy and completely absorbed by something beautiful or wonderful
Grammar: Often used after a linking verb and before by or with: was enraptured by the music.
Patterns
- enraptured by something
- enraptured with someone
- be enraptured
The audience sat enraptured by the young violinist.
She was enraptured with the mountain view and forgot to take photos.
He looked enraptured as he listened to the old love song.
Common combinations
- enraptured by
- The children were enraptured by the storyteller's voice.
- enraptured with
- He seemed enraptured with the idea of living abroad.
- sit enraptured
- We sat enraptured through the whole performance.
- look enraptured
- She looked enraptured when the choir began to sing.
Synonyms and how they differ
- entranced
- Very close in meaning, but it can also suggest a dreamy, almost hypnotized state rather than pure joy.
- enchanted
- Suggests delight mixed with a magical or charming quality; enraptured is more about intense emotional happiness.
- thrilled
- More everyday and less literary; it means very excited and pleased, not necessarily absorbed.
Opposites
Word family
- enrapture verb
- To fill someone with great delight.
- enrapturing adjective
- Causing great delight; charming.
Commonly confused: enraptured or rapt? enraptured or captured?
enraptured vs rapt
Rapt means completely absorbed or fascinated, often with attention; enraptured adds strong happy emotion.
enraptured vs captured
Captured means caught or taken prisoner; enraptured is only about feelings of delight.
Practice
The whole class was enraptured ___ the magician's tricks.
Choose one answer.
Enraptured by is the usual pattern when the cause is an action or performance. With is possible for a person or thing you feel delight in, but from and of are not used.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “enraptured”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.