raptly

[ rapt-lee ]

adverb
  1. with the attention completely engaged; in a way that shows deep absorption in something: It was a story of courage and hope that kept me reading raptly until the final page.

  2. with intense joy or delight; blissfully; ecstatically: It was a moment to meditate, look raptly at the night sky, and be overcome by the awesomeness of the universe.

Origin of raptly

1
First recorded in 1640–50, for an earlier sense; rapt + -ly

Words Nearby raptly

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use raptly in a sentence

  • raptly, they drink in the cunningly arranged open floor plan.

    Beyond Stainless | Megan McArdle | October 19, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • He cleared his throat and his eyes wandered, raptly, as of old, into the dim vastness of the rafters.

    Thirty | Howard Vincent O'Brien
  • Cordelia listened to him, contented and happy—listened almost raptly, as though she was making the most of her day.

    The Silver Poppy | Arthur Stringer
  • Annapla thought her diminutive admirer adorable; she stood raptly gazing on him, with her dish-clout dripping on the floor.

    Doom Castle | Neil Munro
  • All her attention was focused raptly on that bed beside the wall.

    The Firefly Of France | Marion Polk Angellotti
  • Orsino had listened raptly to the words and joined in a burst of spontaneous applause that swept around the table.

    The Syndic | C.M. Kornbluth