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

Les Loges, with its Michelin star, offers fare among Lyon's' best, in a stunning setting combining Florentine grandeur with contemporary glass and steel. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2026

This enchanting and timeless tale, filled with the romance and grandeur audiences know and love, features spectacular new sets and dazzling costumes. —Rick Mauch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Feb. 2026

For those looking for a sense of grandeur, skip the platforms and Japanese joinery for something with a bit more visual heft, like a four-poster bed. —Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 19 Feb. 2026

These movies have the extraordinary merit of putting the passions of love and the obstacles to relationships front and center, balancing personal desires and social obligations on an equal footing, and thereby lending bourgeois life the grandeur of tragedy. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 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