grandeur

noun

gran·​deur ˈgran-jər 

-ˌju̇r, 

-ˌd(y)u̇r, 

-d(y)ər

1

: the quality or state of being grand : magnificence

… the glory that was Greece and the grandeur that was Rome.

—Edgar Allan Poe

2

: an instance or example of grandeur

visited the awesome grandeurs of the American West

Synonyms of grandeur

• majesty
• brilliance
• elegance
• glory
• nobility
• magnificence

Examples of grandeur in a Sentence

His paintings capture the beauty and grandeur of the landscape.

They are restoring the hotel to its original grandeur.

Recent Examples on the Web

When any nondescript suburb opens a Cheesecake Factory, there’s no restaurant around that can compare to its palatial grandeur. — Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2026

The outdoors lent a wry, soulful grandeur to the characters’ expletive-riddled bickering. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2026

Originally shown by Maria Grazia Chiuri at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, the dress’s fluid, pleated draping felt particularly at home against the grandeur of Villa Balbiano. — Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026

You could get lost in the grandeur of the rocket boosters, full of solid rocket propellant like a firework, or the steampunk bell curve of the main engines, which shoot the spacecraft to more than 17,000 miles per hour in orbit. — Laura Zornosa, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, from Old French, from grand

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for grandeur

• amour
• hauteur
• velour
• voyeur
• doer
• poor
• poore
• raconteur

Kids Definition

grandeur

noun

gran·​deur ˈgran-jər 

1

: the quality or state of being grand : awe-inspiring magnificence

2

: something that is grand