# ecstasy

/ˈɛkstəsi/ (US) · /ˈɛkstəsi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ecstasy
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. extreme happiness

noun · CEFR B2

a feeling of very great happiness or excitement.

For teachers: a state of overwhelming emotion, especially rapturous delight or intense pleasure.

- The crowd was in ecstasy when their team scored the winning goal in the final minute.
- She stood on the mountain peak in a state of pure ecstasy, overwhelmed by the breathtaking beauty of the valley below.

### 2. the drug MDMA

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · Informal

an illegal drug that makes people feel very happy, energetic, and close to others.

For teachers: a common name for the synthetic drug MDMA, typically sold in tablet form and used for its stimulant and empathogenic effects.

- The police warned teenagers about the dangers of taking ecstasy at music festivals.
- The study examined the long-term neurological effects of frequent ecstasy use among young adults in urban environments.

### 3. religious rapture

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary · Formal

a powerful religious feeling where a person feels connected to a higher power.

For teachers: a state of mystic or prophetic exaltation, often involving a trance-like suspension of normal consciousness.

- The saint was said to have fallen into a deep ecstasy during her prayers.
- The poet describes a moment of divine ecstasy where the boundaries between the self and the universe seem to dissolve entirely.

## Examples

- She was in ecstasy after winning the race.
- The crowd was in a state of pure ecstasy as the band played their final hit song.
- The poet attempted to capture the spiritual ecstasy of the moment, describing a sense of profound unity with the natural world that transcended ordinary human experience.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.