nobler
ˈnō-b(ə-)lər 
; noblest
ˈnō-b(ə-)ləst
; noblest
ˈnō-b(ə-)ləst
1
a
: possessing outstanding qualities : illustrious
was a noble king
2
: of high birth or exalted rank : aristocratic
… my sire is of a noble line …—
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Samuel Taylor Coleridgenoble families
3
a
: possessing very high or excellent qualities or properties
noble wine
b
: very good or excellent
See that there be a noble supper provided …—R. B. Sheridan
R. B. Sheridan4
: grand or impressive especially in appearance
noble edifice
a noble cathedral
5
: possessing, characterized by, or arising from superiority of mind or character or of ideals or morals : lofty
a noble ambition
a noble cause
6
: chemically inert or inactive especially toward oxygen
a noble metal such as platinum
compare base entry 3 sense 2a
1
: a person of noble rank or birth
2
: an old English gold coin equivalent to 6 shillings and 8 pence
Synonyms
Examples of noble in a Sentence
Adjective
He was a man of noble character.
It was noble of her to come forward with this information.
Noun
an elite school for children of nobles
Recent Examples on the WebNicholas Gordon, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
But Brando obliterated the rules of how to behave in public, rejecting the offering of stardom, and in that rejection seeming to stand for a higher calling, noble and troubled and freshly attractive.
—Ty Burr, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
The princess flaunted both noble lineage and seemingly inexhaustible wealth from her mother, Clara, who was a granddaughter of Giovanni Agnelli, who founded Fiat, and a sister of Gianni Agnelli, the dashing Fiat chief.
—Alex Williams, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2024
Conclusion Serving as a fiduciary can be a noble act and be of great help to family members, friends, or loved ones.
—Martin Shenkman, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024
This project is noble, though the author’s reliance on old-school routines and hackneyed tropes makes the play seem rather creaky.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024
Instead, the test focuses on the theoretical ideals of a profession that has always been both noble and flawed, long defined by White intellectuals who try to do good as defined by their world view.
—Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024
In that context, an indulgence in heterosexual lust, even if in poor taste, is becoming seen as not just benign, but maybe even healthy and noble.
—Ruth Graham, New York Times, 17 Mar. 2024
Not because of any kind of noble commitment to knowledge or love of books.
—Lisa Bubert, Longreads, 27 Feb. 2024
Erik Kain, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Wristwatches soon became popular among other royals and nobles—the women, anyway.
—The Editors, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024
Everyone from princes in Spain to nobles in Vienna to leading Renaissance figures in Italy knew about St. Patrick’s Purgatory.
—Lanta Davis and Vince Reighard, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Mar. 2024
The nobles have a valuable but inaccessible royal library that has gone untouched for ages.
—Carole V. Bell, NPR, 5 Mar. 2024
Every winter, like Punxsutawney nobles, biotech’s many thought leaders gather in San Francisco to pick apart the year that was and prognosticate about the one to come.
—Damian Garde, STAT, 20 Dec. 2023
Even if the monarchs in question understood the cultural disjunction, these movement of women from the Fertile Crescent to Egypt was in part motivated by signalling status to their own circle of nobles, who may not have been as conscious of these cross-cultural distinctions.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 6 July 2010
His chiaroscuro technique, which uses light and darkness for depth and has been compared to Rembrandt’s and Caravaggio’s, quickly won the admiration of King George III and other British nobles.
—María Luisa Paúl, Washington Post, 30 Jan. 2024
As such footwear became longer, Parliament passed a law in the mid-14th century forbidding all but the highest nobles to wear shoes or boots with a point longer than two inches.
—Ana María Velasco, National Geographic, 17 Jan. 2024
Adjective
Still, Choi’s goal is ambitious—perhaps even noble—and belies the role she was appointed to fill: that of a caretaker CEO brought on to steady a company in turmoil.
—Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
But Brando obliterated the rules of how to behave in public, rejecting the offering of stardom, and in that rejection seeming to stand for a higher calling, noble and troubled and freshly attractive.
—Ty Burr, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
The princess flaunted both noble lineage and seemingly inexhaustible wealth from her mother, Clara, who was a granddaughter of Giovanni Agnelli, who founded Fiat, and a sister of Gianni Agnelli, the dashing Fiat chief.
—Alex Williams, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2024
Conclusion Serving as a fiduciary can be a noble act and be of great help to family members, friends, or loved ones.
—Martin Shenkman, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024
This project is noble, though the author’s reliance on old-school routines and hackneyed tropes makes the play seem rather creaky.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024
Instead, the test focuses on the theoretical ideals of a profession that has always been both noble and flawed, long defined by White intellectuals who try to do good as defined by their world view.
—Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024
In that context, an indulgence in heterosexual lust, even if in poor taste, is becoming seen as not just benign, but maybe even healthy and noble.
—Ruth Graham, New York Times, 17 Mar. 2024
Not because of any kind of noble commitment to knowledge or love of books.
—Lisa Bubert, Longreads, 27 Feb. 2024
Noun
McGregor plays Count Alexander Rostov, a Russian noble who escapes execution after the Soviet revolution but is placed under house arrest for life—living out his days in the attic of a fancy Russian hotel.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Wristwatches soon became popular among other royals and nobles—the women, anyway.
—The Editors, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024
Everyone from princes in Spain to nobles in Vienna to leading Renaissance figures in Italy knew about St. Patrick’s Purgatory.
—Lanta Davis and Vince Reighard, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Mar. 2024
The nobles have a valuable but inaccessible royal library that has gone untouched for ages.
—Carole V. Bell, NPR, 5 Mar. 2024
Every winter, like Punxsutawney nobles, biotech’s many thought leaders gather in San Francisco to pick apart the year that was and prognosticate about the one to come.
—Damian Garde, STAT, 20 Dec. 2023
Even if the monarchs in question understood the cultural disjunction, these movement of women from the Fertile Crescent to Egypt was in part motivated by signalling status to their own circle of nobles, who may not have been as conscious of these cross-cultural distinctions.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 6 July 2010
His chiaroscuro technique, which uses light and darkness for depth and has been compared to Rembrandt’s and Caravaggio’s, quickly won the admiration of King George III and other British nobles.
—María Luisa Paúl, Washington Post, 30 Jan. 2024
As such footwear became longer, Parliament passed a law in the mid-14th century forbidding all but the highest nobles to wear shoes or boots with a point longer than two inches.
—Ana María Velasco, National Geographic, 17 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'noble.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin nobilis well-known, noble, from noscere to come to know — more at know
First Known Use
Adjective
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of noble was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing noble
Articles Related to noble
Dictionary Entries Near noble
Cite this Entry
“Noble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/noble. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
noble
1 of 2 adjective
no·ble
ˈnō-bəl
nobler
-b(ə-)lər
; noblest
-b(ə-)ləst
; noblest
-b(ə-)ləst
2
: of high birth or rank : aristocratic
3
: possessing very high qualities : excellent
4
: grand especially in appearance : imposing
a noble cathedral
5
: having or characterized by superiority of mind or character : magnanimous
a noble nature
6
: chemically inactive especially toward oxygen
noble metal
noble
2 of 2 noun
: a person of noble rank or birth
More from Merriam-Webster on noble
Nglish: Translation of noble for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of noble for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about noble
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