Ravishing
adj.joyful, energeticliterary
What it means
Exceptionally beautiful in a way that arrests attention.
Reach for it when giving emphatic, somewhat dramatic praise to appearance
A ravishing blue filled the sky just after the storm passed.
Choose between these
7- everyday
when sincere broad praise is preferable to drama
not when Beautiful has a wider range and does not convey the same dazzled intensity.
- everyday
when immediate visual impact deserves emphasis
not when Stunning can praise bold surprise rather than graceful beauty.
- warm
when enthusiastic praise should feel conversational
not when Gorgeous is more casual and can sound routine from overuse.
- warm
when gentler affection fits the subject
not when Lovely deliberately lowers the intensity and grandeur.
- formal
when delicacy, refinement, or fine workmanship is central
not when Exquisite suits precise elegance better than a large, exuberant spectacle.
- literary
when attraction and invitation matter
not when Alluring can sound sensual or manipulative, which ravishing need not.
- literary
when rich color or splendor creates the effect
not when Resplendent implies magnificent display, not intimate attractiveness.
Said against
3- hideous
- drab
- unattractive
It naturally appears in
3- ravishing beauty
The ravishing beauty of the restored fresco appeared after months of cleaning.
- look ravishing
The winter garden will look ravishing when the white camellias open.
- ravishing color
A ravishing color spread across the woven cloth as it dried.
Where this comes from
- Wiktionary, English adjective, beautiful sense opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.