glorious

adjective

glo·​ri·​ous ˈglȯr-ē-əs 

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

Synonyms

• august
• baronial
• epic
• gallant
• grand
• grandiose
• heroic
• heroical
• Homeric
• imperial
• imposing
• magnific
• magnificent
• majestic
• massive
• monumental
• noble
• proud
• regal
• royal
• splendid
• stately

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

The work is glorious in myriad ways: clever and practical, insightful and improvised. —Robert Sullivan, Vogue, 12 Apr. 2024

Tupperware, meanwhile, is still waiting for the return of a glorious past that is never coming back. —Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2024

Women’s basketball has a glorious history that predates the NCAA’s involvement. —Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2024

Dragon's Dogma 2 is a glorious sequel that delivers even more of the dynamic and thrilling action that fans of the original adored. —PCMAG, 6 Apr. 2024

The weather was glorious—not too hot, but warm enough to swim. —Gianluca Longo, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Apr. 2024

The normal events of spring often unfold slowly, but this year the colorful orioles, the wren nesting cycle, glorious wildflower blooms and even the tiny bushtits all showed up around the same time. —Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Mar. 2024

Hotel Chalet Mirabell lies midway between Merano (Meran in German, as most things are in this part of Italy), with its historic sites, and the base of the Meran 2000 ski resort, which also has glorious trails for hiking, biking and ski touring. —Ann Abel, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024

Restored to its 1930s art deco design (coincidentally the same time period as the start of The Grand Budapest Hotel), the glorious property is an island escape that overlooks the water. —Jamie Spain, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Mar. 2024

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

Kids Definition

glorious

adjective

glo·​ri·​ous ˈglōr-ē-əs 

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