lofty

adjective

\ ˈlȯf-tē

loftier; loftiest

Definition of lofty

1a : elevated in character and spirit : noble lofty ideals

b : elevated in status : superior the less lofty customers of the bar

2 : having a haughty overbearing manner : supercilious She showed a lofty disregard for their objections.

3a : rising to a great height : impressively high lofty mountains

b : remote, esoteric basic precepts are not lofty abstractions far removed from matters of daily living— D. D. Eisenhower

4 : having full-bodied, firm, and resilient textile fibers lofty flannel

Other Words from lofty Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about lofty

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Synonyms & Antonyms for lofty

Synonyms

altitudinous, high, tall, towering

Antonyms

low, low-lying, short, squat

Choose the Right Synonym for lofty

high, tall, lofty mean above the average in height. high implies marked extension upward and is applied chiefly to things which rise from a base or foundation or are placed at a conspicuous height above a lower level. a high hill a high ceiling tall applies to what grows or rises high by comparison with others of its kind and usually implies relative narrowness. a tall thin man lofty suggests great or imposing altitude. lofty mountain peaks

Examples of lofty in a Sentence

He set lofty goals for himself as a teacher. She showed a lofty disregard for their objections.

Recent Examples on the Web

Microsoft has said that 700 million devices are now powered by Windows 10, which is still shy of the company’s lofty goal of serving a billion devices with its operating system. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Microsoft's Windows 10 finally tops Windows 7 in user share," 2 Jan. 2019 Those lofty goals, however, alienated the man on the street, with Mr. Macron’s approval ratings plummeting as low as 23%. — Noemie Bisserbe, WSJ, "France’s Macron, Astride the Globe, Overlooked Swelling Anger at Home," 7 Dec. 2018 Disney estimated Sunday that the film earned $180 million in its first weekend in North American theaters — far surpassing industry analysts' loftiest expectations, which had the film pegged for a $120 million to $140 million debut. — NBC News, "'Incredibles 2' crushes animation record with $180 million," 18 June 2018 Disney estimated Sunday that the film earned $180 million in its first weekend in North American theaters — far surpassing industry analysts' loftiest expectations which had the film pegged for a $120 to $140 million debut. — Fox News, "'Incredibles 2' scores best opening for an animation film of all time," 18 June 2018 But even the loftiest expectations were shattered the minute the French producers, garbed in their iconic robot gear, emerged from inside their now-famous LED pyramid and began dropping beats that sent shockwaves across the polo field. — Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, "Top 22 Coachella Performances Ever," 9 Apr. 2018 But after Georgia’s thrilling double-overtime win over Oklahoma at the Rose Bowl, demand somehow managed to exceed even the loftiest expectations. — Andrew Joseph, For The Win, "StubHub quickly crashed after the Georgia Bulldogs made the title game in Atlanta," 1 Jan. 2018 But, while 5G will begin rolling out to consumers by year-end, fulfillment of its more lofty promises might not happen for years, experts say. — Marc Vartabedian, WSJ, "What 5G Will Mean to Consumers—and When," 12 Sep. 2018 That would be more feasible to design, but also fall far short of the lofty promises currently dancing in Democratic heads. — Jonathan Chait, Daily Intelligencer, "Democrats Are Rushing Into a Job Guarantee. It Could Be a Huge Mistake.," 25 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lofty.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.