1
2
a
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a style of architecture developed in northern France and spreading through western Europe from the middle of the 12th century to the early 16th century that is characterized by the converging of weights and strains at isolated points upon slender vertical piers and counterbalancing buttresses and by pointed arches and vaulting
Gothic cathedrals
b
: of or relating to an architectural style reflecting the influence of the medieval Gothic
3
often not capitalized
: of or relating to a style of fiction characterized by the use of desolate or remote settings and macabre, mysterious, or violent incidents
Gothic novels
1
a
b
2
: Gothic art style or decoration
specifically
: the Gothic architectural style
3
: the East Germanic language of the Goths see Indo-European Languages Table
4
often not capitalized
: a novel, film, or play in the gothic style
Examples of Gothic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jamie Carter, Space.com, 4 July 2025
The famed 142-year-old suspension bridge with the telltale Gothic columns will undergo a digital facelift for its pyrotechnical closeup of 80,000 shells, following a concert hosted by Ariana DeBose featuring the Jonas Brothers, Trisha Yearwood, Lenny Kravitz, Keke Palmer, Ava Max and Eric Church.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 4 July 2025
The Palomar Cincinnati opened inside a Gothic church from the 1880s at 2662 Gilbert Avenue in the fall of 2023.
—Sydney Franklin, The Enquirer, 3 July 2025
Built in 1855 in the Gothic Revival style, the Smithsonian Castle is undergoing its first major renovation in more than 50 years.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for Gothic
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Noun
The tour begins in Bilbao, with visits to the iconic Guggenheim Museum and a cruise on the Nervión River, followed by a drive south to Burgos (which is not in the Basque Country but rather the autonomous community of Castile-Leon) for a tour of the city's Gothic cathedral.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 4 July 2025
The famed 142-year-old suspension bridge with the telltale Gothic columns will undergo a digital facelift for its pyrotechnical closeup of 80,000 shells, following a concert hosted by Ariana DeBose featuring the Jonas Brothers, Trisha Yearwood, Lenny Kravitz, Keke Palmer, Ava Max and Eric Church.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 4 July 2025
The Palomar Cincinnati opened inside a Gothic church from the 1880s at 2662 Gilbert Avenue in the fall of 2023.
—Sydney Franklin, The Enquirer, 3 July 2025
Built in 1855 in the Gothic Revival style, the Smithsonian Castle is undergoing its first major renovation in more than 50 years.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for Gothic
Cite this Entry
“Gothic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Gothic. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
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