lofty

adjective

ˈlȯf-tē 

loftier; loftiest

1

a

: elevated in character and spirit : noble

lofty ideals

b

: elevated in status : superior

the less lofty customers of the bar

2

: having a haughty overbearing manner : supercilious

She showed a lofty disregard for their objections.

3

a

: rising to a great height : impressively high

lofty mountains

b

: remote, esoteric

basic precepts are not lofty abstractions far removed from matters of daily living

—D. D. Eisenhower

4

: having full-bodied, firm, and resilient textile fibers

lofty flannel

loftily

ˈlȯf-tə-lē 

adverb

loftiness

ˈlȯf-tē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• tall
• high

Choose the Right Synonym for lofty

high, tall, lofty mean above the average in height.

high implies marked extension upward and is applied chiefly to things which rise from a base or foundation or are placed at a conspicuous height above a lower level.

a high hill

a high ceiling

tall applies to what grows or rises high by comparison with others of its kind and usually implies relative narrowness.

a tall thin man

lofty suggests great or imposing altitude.

lofty mountain peaks

Examples of lofty in a Sentence

He set lofty goals for himself as a teacher.

She showed a lofty disregard for their objections.

Recent Examples on the Web

Working inside a lofty candlelit space in the Cannonborough-Elliotborough neighborhood, Pagán can be spotted in the kitchen nightly by those who nab a front-row counter seat. —Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025

Even for someone like Trump, who excoriated his predecessors for becoming mired in conflicts in the region and made lofty promises about pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan, the region's interlocking conflicts have proven difficult to ignore, to say nothing of global energy markets. —Sonam Sheth, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025

None of the other lofty promises seem in realistic, from the optimistic completion date to an influx of private investment. —The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 8 July 2025

The message isn't nearly as lofty or empowering as Superman might have wished. —Tom Gliatto, People.com, 8 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

lofty

adjective

ˈlȯf-tē 

loftier; loftiest

1

: proud sense 1a, haughty

a lofty manner

2

a

: of high, noble, or excellent quality

lofty ideals

b

: of high rank : superior

3

: rising to a great height

lofty redwood trees

loftily

-tə-lē 

adverb

loftiness

-tē-nəs 

noun