sublime
The word "sublime" describes something so magnificent, grand, or awe-inspiring that it transcends ordinary experience. It often carries a sense of spiritual or intellectual elevation, suggesting a beauty so intense that it feels almost overwhelming or divine. While you might use it to describe a breathtaking landscape or a profound piece of music, it is a formal, high-register term. It is best reserved for moments of extreme excellence or beauty rather than everyday occurrences; using it too casually can sound overly dramatic or ironic.
In conversation
Discussing a concert
That piano concerto was absolutely sublime.
That piano concerto was absolutely sublime.
I agree, I’ve never heard anything so moving.
I agree, I’ve never heard anything so moving.
Used here to describe a high-quality artistic performance.
Describing a view
The view from the mountain peak was truly sublime.
The view from the mountain peak was truly sublime.
It really makes you feel small, doesn't it?
It really makes you feel small, doesn't it?
Highlights the 'awe-inspiring' quality of a natural landscape.
Examples
The food at the restaurant was sublime.
The food at the restaurant was sublime.
She possessed a sublime talent for capturing human emotion in her paintings.
She possessed a sublime talent for capturing human emotion in her paintings.
The sublime power of the thunderstorm left the entire town in hushed silence.
The sublime power of the thunderstorm left the entire town in hushed silence.
