Miraculous
adjective
Definition
Very surprising or amazing, as if caused by a miracle.
Context Alive
Doctors told the family there was almost no hope left. But after weeks in the hospital, the patient made a miraculous recovery that stunned everyone, walking out on his own two feet as if nothing had ever happened.
Meanings
1 meaning
1
Very Surprising or Amazing Like a Miracle (Adjective)
Very Common
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This meaning is about something so incredible that it’s hard to believe it actually happened. Imagine a hiker lost in the mountains for a week with no food or water, and rescuers make a miraculous discovery — they find him alive and conscious against all odds. This is something miraculous — almost impossible, yet real. You might say “he made a miraculous escape from the fire” or someone could describe “a miraculous turn of events that saved the company.” Or picture a football team scoring three goals in the last five minutes for a miraculous comeback. The word carries deep amazement and a sense that something special happened. ✏️ “Miraculous recovery” is by far the most common combination — you’ll hear it constantly in medical and sports contexts.
Vivid ExampleThe old bridge had been hit by a massive flood during the storm. Engineers called its survival miraculous — the water had destroyed everything around it, but the bridge stood firm as if something unseen had been holding it together.
Examples from the Street
“It was a miraculous escape — the car was completely destroyed but everyone walked away.”
It was an unbelievable getaway — the vehicle was totally wrecked yet every passenger came out alive and unhurt
“The doctors are calling it a miraculous recovery.”
The medical team says she got better in a way that nobody can explain or expected
“There’s nothing miraculous about his success — the man works eighteen hours a day.”
His achievements aren’t magical at all — he simply puts in an enormous amount of effort
Common Patterns
a miraculous recovery/survival → getting better or staying alive when it seemed impossible
a miraculous escape → getting away from danger when death or injury seemed certain
a miraculous rescue/save → being saved or saving someone in an extraordinary way
nothing short of miraculous → so extraordinary it can only be described as a miracle
seem/appear miraculous → look as if it shouldn’t be possible
a miraculous transformation/turnaround → a dramatic change that seems too good to be real
miraculous results/effects → outcomes so impressive they seem impossible
almost/nearly miraculous → close to unbelievable
truly/genuinely miraculous → emphasising that the outcome really does defy explanation
miraculous powers/abilities → supernatural or divine capabilities
miraculous healing → curing through faith or divine intervention
nothing miraculous about [something] → dismissing something as ordinary, not supernatural
Collocations
3 collocationsmiraculous recovery
an amazing and unexpected return to health
miraculous escape
surviving a dangerous situation against all odds
nothing short of miraculous
so amazing it seems like a miracle
Example Sentences
12 examples
1
The firefighters pulled three survivors from the collapsed building in what authorities are calling a miraculous rescue
The emergency crew pulled three living people out of the fallen structure in what officials are describing as an extraordinary life-saving operation that nobody expected to succeed.
2
After six months in a coma, her miraculous recovery shocked the entire medical team
After half a year unconscious, the way she got better and regained her health stunned every single doctor and nurse involved in her care.
3
The goalkeeper made a miraculous save in the last minute to keep his team in the tournament
The keeper pulled off an unbelievable stop right at the end to prevent his side from being knocked out of the competition.
4
The fact that the old bridge is still standing after the flood is nothing short of miraculous
The reality that the ancient crossing has remained upright after all that water is so extraordinary it can only be described as impossible to explain.
5
The results of the new treatment seem miraculous — patients who couldn’t walk are now running again
The outcomes of the new therapy look too good to be true — people who were unable to move on their feet are now jogging once more.
6
The company went from near-bankruptcy to record profits in a miraculous turnaround that nobody predicted
The business went from almost going under to earning more money than ever before in a dramatic reversal of fortune that no one saw coming.
7
The cream promises miraculous results, but honestly, it didn’t do anything for my skin
The product claims to deliver incredible improvements, but in reality, it made no difference whatsoever to my complexion.
8
The speed at which the city was rebuilt was truly miraculous — it took less than two years
How quickly the town was reconstructed was genuinely beyond belief — the entire process was finished in under twenty-four months.
9
Some people believe the spring water has miraculous healing powers that can cure any illness
Certain individuals are convinced the natural well water possesses supernatural restorative abilities that can fix any disease.
10
There’s nothing miraculous about learning a language — it just takes consistent effort over a long period
Picking up a new tongue isn’t some kind of magic — it simply requires steady, ongoing dedication spread across an extended stretch of time.
Learner Examples
★
There’s no miraculous shortcut to fluency — it comes from showing up every day and putting in the work
There’s no magical quick route to speaking smoothly — it happens because you turn up consistently and make the effort day after day.
★
A student who had always struggled with reading made a miraculous turnaround once she discovered audiobooks and started connecting sound to text
A learner who had always found it hard to follow written words improved dramatically and unexpectedly after she began listening to recorded stories and linking what she heard to what was on the page.
Phrasal Verbs & Idioms
1 item Idioms & Expressionsnothing short of a miracle — absolutely extraordinary
His recovery was nothing short of a miracle.
Synonyms & Antonyms
6 items
Synonymsextraordinary
beyond normal
incredible
hard to believe
amazing
astonishing
remarkable
worthy of attention
Antonymsordinary
nothing special
normal
expected