Word
heaven
Phoneticsheav·en, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhɛvən/
UK/hˈɛvən/
Definitions
01religious abode
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun Religion
n. the place where God lives and where good people are believed to go after they die.
n. the dwelling place of the deity and the blessed dead in various religious traditions, often contrasted with hell.
日本語:天国※
“Many people believe that they will see their loved ones again in heaven.”
“The fresco on the cathedral ceiling depicts a vibrant vision of heaven, populated by saints and celestial beings in eternal light.”
Usage
Often capitalized when referring to the specific Christian or monotheistic concept.
Antonyms
02great happiness
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Informal
n. a situation or place that makes you feel very happy and relaxed.
n. a state of supreme happiness or a place of great beauty and delight.
日本語:天国※
“Lying on the beach with a good book was absolute heaven.”
“For a bibliophile, spending a rainy afternoon in a quiet, multi-story library is pure heaven.”
Teaching tip
Commonly used in the phrase 'pure heaven' or 'absolute heaven' to emphasize enjoyment.
03the sky
B2 · Upper Intermediate Plural noun Astronomy Literary
n. the sky or the space where the stars and planets are.
n. the expanse of space surrounding the earth; the firmament.
日本語:天※
“The stars shone brightly in the dark night heaven.”
“Galileo turned his telescope toward the heavens, hoping to uncover the secrets of the celestial bodies.”
Usage
In this sense, it is very often used in the plural form: 'the heavens'.
04divine power
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Formal · Literary
n. God or the powers that control what happens in the world.
n. the celestial powers or divine providence personified.
“Heaven knows why she decided to leave so suddenly.”
“The king appealed to heaven to witness the justice of his cause before the battle commenced.”
Teaching tip
Often found in fixed expressions like 'Heaven forbid' or 'Heaven knows'.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “heaven” in context.
Verb
01. go to heaven
“Many religions teach that good people will go to heaven after they die.”
verb + prep + noun
02. thank heaven
“Thank heaven you arrived safely; we were so worried about the storm.”
verb + noun
Adjective
03. pure heaven
“Sitting in a hot bath after a long day at work was pure heaven.”
adj + noun
04. seventh heaven
“She was in seventh heaven when she received the news of her promotion.”
adj + noun
Noun
05. match made in heaven
“With their shared love for music and travel, they are a match made in heaven.”
noun + prep + noun
06. slice of heaven
“This quiet little island is a real slice of heaven for tired travelers.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
07. in heaven
“The children were in heaven when they saw the massive pile of presents.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“Kumanjayi Little Baby would be with our “father in heaven”, he said at the time.” “It’s hard to keep your eyes on heaven when your ears keep getting dragged back to the here and now.” Etymology
See heaven.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Idioms
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/heaven
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0