heaven

noun

heav·​en ˈhe-vən How to pronounce heaven (audio)
1
: the expanse of space that seems to be over the earth like a dome : firmament
usually used in plural
the brightest star in the heavens
2
a
often capitalized : the dwelling place of the Deity and the blessed dead
hopes to go to Heaven when she dies
b
: a spiritual state of everlasting communion with God
3
capitalized : god sense 1
Heaven help us.
4
: a place or condition of utmost happiness : something that is very pleasant or enjoyable
Our week at the spa was sheer heaven.
5
Christian Science : a state of thought in which sin is absent and the harmony of divine Mind (see mind entry 1 sense 8) is manifest

Examples of heaven in a Sentence

She prayed to God in Heaven. He hopes to go to Heaven when he dies. Our baby is a gift from heaven. the brightest star in the heavens
Recent Examples on the Web The announcement came as a relief to American astronomers, who have been fretting about losing ground to their European colleagues in the quest to examine the heavens with bigger and better telescopes. Dennis Overbye, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 When is the next full moon of 2024? Skywatchers in April can watch the Full Pink Moon shine in the heavens Tuesday, April 23, 2024. The Indianapolis Star, 6 Mar. 2024 Let the simulated Martin rage in his artificial heaven; the science was unequivocal. Karl Schroeder, IEEE Spectrum, 24 Feb. 2024 But for crew members traveling to Mars, watching as the Earth shrinks to an insignificant dot in the heavens could result in a profound sense of isolation and homesickness. Nick Kanas, The Conversation, 21 Feb. 2024 Helium was the first—and to date only—element that was discovered in the heavens before it was found on Earth. Paul M. Sutter, Scientific American, 15 Feb. 2024 One commenter argued, however, that the film’s hot button topicality could backfire if — heaven forbid — real-world violence did occur. James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Mar. 2024 Douglas Worple and his wife Becca run the Golden Dog Farm and have been hosting the Golden Retriever Experience since September 2023 Douglas (Doug) Worple and his wife Becca have managed to create a bit of heaven on earth at their Golden Dog Farm. Stephanie Sengwe, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024 Mesina believes this makes Italy a tax heaven for inheritance taxes. Francois Botha, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'heaven.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English heven, from Old English heofon; akin to Old High German himil heaven

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of heaven was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near heaven

Cite this Entry

“Heaven.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heaven. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

heaven

noun
heav·​en ˈhev-ən How to pronounce heaven (audio)
1
: sky sense 1
usually used in plural
2
often capitalized : the dwelling place of God and of the blessed dead
3
: a place or condition of complete happiness

More from Merriam-Webster on heaven

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