ennoble

verb

en·​no·​ble i-ˈnō-bəl How to pronounce ennoble (audio)
e-ˈnō-
ennobled; ennobling i-ˈnō-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce ennoble (audio)
e-ˈnō-

transitive verb

1
: to make noble : elevate
seemed ennobled by suffering
2
: to raise to the rank of nobility
ennoblement noun

Examples of ennoble in a Sentence

a life ennobled by suffering Her skill and talent ennoble her profession. He was ennobled by the queen.
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.
Work for human beings, then, is necessary and even ennobling. The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 31 Aug. 2025 The Fitzgerald settlement ennobles neither side. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025 Homer himself uses natural metaphors to ennoble violent human actors: Achilles is a wildfire sweeping across the Trojan plain. Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025 Instead, this publication has hummed with creative, ennobling intellectual tension and debate. Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 10 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ennoble

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ennobelen, from Middle French ennoblir, from Old French, from en- + noble noble

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ennoble was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ennoble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ennoble. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

ennoble

verb
en·​no·​ble in-ˈō-bəl How to pronounce ennoble (audio)
ennobled; ennobling -b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce ennoble (audio)
1
: to make noble : elevate
seemed ennobled by his hardship
2
: to raise to the rank of nobility
ennoblement noun

More from Merriam-Webster on ennoble

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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