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

As the countdown to Met Gala 2026 is underway, take a look back at ten years of extravagance, grandeur and history-making fashion. —Blanche Marcel, Vanity Fair, 27 Apr. 2026

Herzog naturally plays up the enigma at hand with epic grandeur, occasionally overdoing it but usually hitting the mark. —Eric Kohn, IndieWire, 24 Apr. 2026

The band finds a middle ground between hard-rock grandeur and no-wave snottiness, creating a tense environment so the guitar solos can tear everything up. —Joshua Minsoo Kim, Pitchfork, 24 Apr. 2026

The Seelbach Hilton has defined grandeur in Louisville since its opening in 1905. —Hillary Richard, Robb Report, 23 Apr. 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
• auteur
• hauteur
• velour
• verdure
• 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