marvelous

adjective

mar·​vel·​ous ˈmärv-(ə-)ləs 

variants or chiefly British marvellous

1

: causing wonder : astonishing

the marvelous directional sense of migrating birds

2

: miraculous, supernatural

Gothic tales of marvelous and bizarre happenings

3

: of the highest kind or quality : notably superior

has a marvelous way with children

marvelously adverb

or chiefly British marvellously

marvelously inventive

sang marvelously

marvelousness noun

or chiefly British marvellousness

Synonyms

• wonderful
• amazing
• astonishing
• sublime
• stunning
• awesome

Examples of marvelous in a Sentence

We had a marvelous time at the party.

He has a marvelous way with children.

The weather was simply marvelous.

Recent Examples on the Web

This is a marvelous, fun-loving year for you. —Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2025

If deBessonet and her marvelous cast – including a towering Joshua Henry – come tantalizingly close to making all the necessary fixes, Ragtime remains a flawed masterwork of its era. —Greg Evans, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025

While Carter is getting ingratiated into defensive coordinator Shane Bowen's schemes, edge rusher Brian Burns is having a marvelous season for New York. —Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025

Every book that has been written about Washington’s administration since—whether scholarly or popular, whether great-man or women’s history, or Vaill’s marvelous fusion of both—owes a debt to Eliza Schuyler Hamilton. —Jane Kamensky, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English merveillous, borrowed from Anglo-French, from merveille marvel entry 1 + -ous -ous

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for marvelous

• marvellous

Kids Definition

marvelous

adjective

mar·​vel·​ous

variants or marvellous

ˈmärv-(ə-)ləs 

1

: causing wonder or astonishment

2

: having the characteristics of a miracle

3

: of the highest kind or quality : splendid

we had a marvelous time

marvelously adverb

marvelousness noun