1
: lifted up and carried away
2
: transported with emotion : enraptured
3
: wholly absorbed : engrossed
raptly adverb
raptness noun

Examples of rapt in a Sentence

The students listened with rapt attention. The children sat rapt as the puppets danced.
Recent Examples on the Web Here the otherwise highly energized quintet focuses rapt attention by singing on stools, sitting without movement or expression. Christopher Smith, Orange County Register, 29 Jan. 2024 But the audience, which organizers estimated to be around 400 people, was rapt in their chairs through the whole running time, never seeming to uncouple from the events onscreen. Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2024 Simpson was also paying rapt attention to the TVs when Taylor Swift nabbed her first award of the night for best pop vocal album for Midnights and subsequently surprised everyone by announcing a brand new album, The Tortured Poets Department, coming out April 19. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 5 Feb. 2024 In the afternoons, children cluster around tables in rapt attention as counselors explain the arcane rules for imaginary worlds. Anusha Bayya, New York Times, 27 Dec. 2023 Trump sat in rapt attention as Bartov lauded his financial statements. Graham Kates, CBS News, 7 Dec. 2023 And in front of a rapt audience, whether sitting in the orchestra or in the second-to-last row, their talent towers. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 28 Nov. 2023 Grim stuff, but the dropout, Strasberg, sat rapt at every performance. Jesse Green, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2023 Dressed in black slacks and a white top, and exuding calm control, King coaches the actors on how to convey both unruliness and rapt attention to an invisible baseball. Celia Wren, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rapt.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "carried off (of a soul to heaven)," borrowed from Latin raptus, past participle of rapere "to seize and carry off, take away by force, carry or sweep along" (Medieval Latin also "to carry away [a soul to heaven]") — more at rapid entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rapt was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near rapt

Cite this Entry

“Rapt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rapt. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

rapt

adjective
: showing complete delight or interest
listened with rapt attention
raptly adverb
raptness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on rapt

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