glorious

adjective

glo·​ri·​ous ˈglȯr-ē-əs How to pronounce glorious (audio)
1
a
: possessing or deserving glory : illustrious
had a long and glorious military career
b
: entitling one to glory
a glorious victory
2
: marked by great beauty or splendor : magnificent
a glorious sunset
3
: delightful, wonderful
had a glorious weekend
gloriously adverb
gloriousness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for glorious

splendid, resplendent, gorgeous, glorious, sublime, superb mean extraordinarily or transcendently impressive.

splendid implies outshining the usual or customary.

the wedding was a splendid occasion

resplendent suggests a glowing or blazing splendor.

resplendent in her jewelry

gorgeous implies a rich splendor especially in display of color.

a gorgeous red dress

glorious suggests radiance that heightens beauty or distinction.

a glorious sunset

sublime implies an exaltation or elevation almost beyond human comprehension.

a vision of sublime beauty

superb suggests an excellence reaching the highest conceivable degree.

her singing was superb

Examples of glorious in a Sentence

He had a long and glorious military career. The old ruins give only a hint of the city's glorious past. The government has described the battle as a glorious victory. Our room had a glorious view of the mountains.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The glorious few who still worry about the decline of Palm Beach society speculated wildly that Trump was planning to legalize gambling and build a casino, or — the truly frightening possibility — subdivide his acreage and sell houses. Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025 But its glorious catalog lay in disarray, waiting for an astute buyer willing to mine its precious gems. Ernesto Lechner, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2025 The speedy power forward whiffed on a glorious opportunity, and neither Tavares nor Nylander created much at five-on-five. Nick Ashbourne, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025 Yacht-hop and check out all the glorious features on hundreds of vessels, chat with industry experts, check out on-site demonstrations and revel in the opulence of today’s waterborne offerings and the ultimate in marine design and technology. Lori Capullo, Sun Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for glorious 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French glorios, from Latin gloriosus glorious, vainglorious, from gloria

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of glorious was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near glorious

Cite this Entry

“Glorious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glorious. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

glorious

adjective
glo·​ri·​ous ˈglōr-ē-əs How to pronounce glorious (audio)
ˈglȯr-
1
a
: possessing or deserving glory : illustrious
b
: bringing glory
glorious victory
2
: having great beauty or splendor
a glorious sunset
3
: delightful
had a glorious day
gloriously adverb
gloriousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on glorious

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