lofty

adjective \ ˈlȯf-tē \

Updated on: 11 Apr 2018

Definition of lofty

loftier; loftiest

1 a : 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.

3 a : 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

—

loftily

play \ˈlȯf-tə-lē\ adverb

—

loftiness

play \ˈlȯf-tē-nəs\ noun

See lofty defined for English-language learners

See lofty defined for kids

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 of lofty from the Web

Of the largest four, forward P/E ratios range from Tencent’s lofty 34 times to Samsung, a conglomerate that sells more than just phones, at just 6.6 times.

— mike bird, WSJ, "Why Emerging Markets Are Hanging on the Fate of Silicon Valley," 5 Apr. 2018
The storm of criticism that followed arrived with a mix of fierce anger and lofty condescension.

— gregory krieg, CNN, "When MLK turned on Vietnam, even liberal 'allies' turned on him," 4 Apr. 2018
Meanwhile, this tiny vehicle for change knows nothing of these lofty goals.

— alex morris, The Cut, "Is it possible to raise your child entirely without gender from birth? Some parents are trying.," 3 Apr. 2018
Some development has been stymied by landowners who set lofty prices that developers aren’t willing to pay, Davis said.

— Chicago Tribune, "RAGE, RIOTS, RUIN," 1 Apr. 2018
Which is why the first of many surprises delivered from the lofty driver’s seat of the new TX taxi from the London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) is finding a navigation screen in the center of the dashboard.

— mike duff, Car and Driver, "Hacks R Us: We Drive London's New Plug-In Electric Taxicab!," 29 Mar. 2018
Along with the lofty task of raising a future monarch, Norland also teaches students defensive driving and security training.

— Southern Living, "Here's Why Prince George and Princess Charlotte's Nanny Is Basically Mary Poppins," 19 Mar. 2018
Rorsted said that the company plans to sell 5 million pairs (of its annual total of 450 million) this year and has an even loftier green goal of using upcycled plastic in all of its products by 2024.

— ingrid schmidt, The Hollywood Reporter, "Style Notes: Victoria Beckham To Launch Skincare, Fragrance; Adidas Sold A Million Pairs Of Upcycled Plastic Sneakers," 17 Mar. 2018
The democratic promise of public education is one that states, despite their lofty constitutions, have at times refused to fulfill.

— sarah jones, The New Republic, "How Public Schools Became a Battleground in the Trump Era," 14 Mar. 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.

First Known Use of lofty

15th century

lofty Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of 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

LOFTY Defined for English Language Learners

lofty

adjective

Definition of lofty for English Language Learners

: rising to a great height : very tall and impressive
: very high and good : deserving to be admired
: showing the insulting attitude of people who think that they are better, smarter, or more important than other people