sublime

sub·lime/səˈblaɪm/verb, adjective, noun

sublime is spelled S-U-B-L-I-M-E: 7 letters and 2 syllables (sub·lime). It appears 3.0 times per million words in written English, the 15,368th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, sublime means “To heat (a substance) in a container so as to convert it into a gas which then condenses in solid form on cooler parts of the container; (generally)…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).

How many letters and syllables are in sublime?

Letters	7: S-U-B-L-I-M-E
Syllables	2: sub·lime
In writing	3.0 times per million words; the 15,368th most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searched	none measured in search
Rhymes with	time crime rhyme slime more

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.

How common is sublime?

Sublime appears 3.0 times per million words in written English, the 15,368th most frequent word form in the list.

sublime0.0010.010.11101001,00010,000

rarerper million words of written Englishmore common

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce sublime?

US /səˈblaɪm/

Sublime has 2 syllables, split sub·lime in writing.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-sublime.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

What rhymes with sublime?

7 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as sublime from its last stressed vowel (/aɪm/):

Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).

Forms of sublime

sublimes present, singular, he/she/it, plural
subliming participle, present
sublimed participle, past, singular, he/she/it, plural
sublimer comparative
sublimest superlative

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does sublime mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

verb

1
To heat (a substance) in a container so as to convert it into a gas which then condenses in solid form on cooler parts of the container; (generally) to change (a solid substance) into a gas without breaking down or passing through the liquid state by heating it gently.
2
archaicTo obtain or purify (a substance) in this manner.
3
To raise (someone or an intangible thing) to a state of (especially moral or spiritual) excellence; to exalt.
4
obsoleteTo cause (someone or something) to ascend; to raise (someone or something) to a high position.
5
obsoleteTo cause (juice or sap) to rise in a plant.
6
obsoleteEspecially of the sun: to heat (something) and cause vapours, etc., to rise from it.
7
obsoleteTo purify (someone) from a bad influence or from sin.
8
obsoleteTo raise (someone) to a high office or status; to dignify, to exalt.

adjective

1
archaicobsoleteHigh, tall, towering; also, positioned in a high place; high-up, lofty.
2
Of an aspect of art or nature: causing awe or deep respect due to its beauty or magnificence; awe-inspiring, impressive.
sublime scenery
3
Of flight: ascending, soaring.
4
Of an idea or other thing: requiring great intellectual effort to appreciate or understand; very elevated, refined, or subtle.
5
Of language, style, or writing: expressing opinions in a grand way.
6
Of a person or their actions or qualities: intellectually, morally, or spiritually superior.
a sublime deed
7
Of an office or status: very high; exalted; also, used as an honorific (often capitalized as Sublime) to refer to someone of high office or status, especially the Ottoman sultan; or to things associated with such a person.
the Sublime Porte
8
Of a thing: consummate, perfect; (informal, loosely) excellent, marvellous, wonderful.

noun

1
archaicSomething which is sublime; a sublimity.
2
archaicIn the form the sublime of: the highest degree; the acme, the height.
3
An aspect of art or nature which causes awe or deep respect due to its beauty or magnificence; hence, the great beauty or magnificence of a place, a thing, etc.
4
A style of language or writing which expresses opinions in a grand way.
5
That which is intellectually, morally, or spiritually superior in human life or human nature.
6
archaicThe quality or state of being sublime; sublimeness, sublimity.