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Glite Dictionary
seventh heaven

seventh heaven

2 3.7
A feeling of great happiness and joy
  • noun
  • /ˈsɛvənθ ˈhɛvən/
  • Informal
translation icon : séptimo cielo
  • He was in seventh heaven while watching his favorite band perform live at the concert.

Examples

  • The kids were in seventh heaven at the amusement park, riding all the thrilling attractions.

  • After receiving the good news about her promotion, she felt like she was in seventh heaven.

  • I'm up in seventh heaven

    Fire with Fire (2012)

  • Bill says, "Next time you hear somebody say they're in seventh heaven, think of this."

    Fiction book (1992)

  • He's in seventh heaven when he brings it home.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • And Joyce was positively in seventh heaven.

    Blog text (5)

  • "Actually, Dr. Benson, Amelia was so thrilled I was pregnant, she was in seventh heaven.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • See's dark chocolate raspberry creams and I'm in seventh heaven!

    Blog text (5)

  • Sitting right at the front of things, her arm pressed tightly against Duncan's, Sully was in seventh heaven.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • Emily and I shared a room that night, and she was in seventh heaven, bouncing about the queen-size bed—and on me—like a little maniac.

    Fiction book (1997)

Synonyms

heaven
vsseventh heaven
237 1.0

A very happy and peaceful state

focuses more narrowly on intense bliss rather than general peace
paradise
vsseventh heaven
192 4.0

A place or state of perfect happiness and peace

highlights sudden intense joy rather than an ideal, lasting perfection
bliss
vsseventh heaven
78 3.2

A complete feeling of great happiness and peace

is more about acute, intense happiness rather than calm completeness
cloud nine
vsseventh heaven
  • Informal
7 4.0

Feeling very happy and excited after something very good happens

is the same intense joy but framed as deep, sustained bliss
walking on air
vsseventh heaven
  • Informal
1 3.7

Feeling very happy and excited

is a broader intense happiness, not only short-lived elation
blissfulness
vsseventh heaven
1 4.4

A feeling of complete happiness and calm

is a particular intense state rather than the ongoing quality

Antonyms

misery
310 2.8

A feeling of great unhappiness and suffering

sadness
229 1.0

A feeling of being unhappy

How Happy

seventh heaven
  • Informal
2 3.7
delighted
228 1.0
happy
∞ 1.0
pleased
936 1.0
content
108 1.0

Surface Forms

seventh heaven singular
seventh heavens plural

Morphology

7th + heaven

The noun 'heaven' denotes bliss and the ordinal 'seventh' simply intensifies that state, so the phrase compositionally signals an extreme degree of happiness. This meaning is semantically transparent and has parallels in many languages (e.g., Spanish 'séptimo cielo'), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can reasonably infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Seventh heaven may come from old beliefs that the sky had seven levels and the seventh heaven was the highest, happiest place nearest to God; being there was the greatest joy. That's why the phrase means 'intense happiness'.