opulent

adjective

op·​u·​lent ˈä-pyə-lənt How to pronounce opulent (audio)
: exhibiting or characterized by opulence: such as
a
: amply or plentifully provided or fashioned often to the point of ostentation
living in opulent comfort
opulent furnishings
an opulent hotel
b
dated : having a large estate or property : wealthy
an opulent family
opulent industrialists
opulently adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for opulent

rich, wealthy, affluent, opulent mean having goods, property, and money in abundance.

rich implies having more than enough to gratify normal needs or desires.

became rich through shrewd investing

wealthy stresses the possession of property and intrinsically valuable things.

wealthy landowners

affluent suggests prosperity and an increasing wealth.

an affluent society

opulent suggests lavish expenditure and display of great wealth, more often applying to things than people.

an opulent mansion

Examples of opulent in a Sentence

an opulent upper crust that liked to show off its possessions an opulent mansion filled with priceless art and antiques
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While Francis wanted a less opulent burial than is traditional for popes and made changes to the church's book on funeral rites, some of the usual elements such as the three stations of the procedure, named after where those key moments take place, remain in place. Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025 During the era of the former Prince Regent, colour was used as a status symbol and the decadent colour scheme employed by his interior designers– from opulent gold to aristocratic purple–was a status symbol used by the aristocracy to signify wealth and good taste. Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025 Vanderpump Villa, the Hulu original reality TV series, returns for its second season on April 24, inviting viewers back into the opulent world of Lisa Vanderpump's hospitality empire. Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025 Best Hotels Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental is considered one of the most prestigious hotels in Abu Dhabi, combining opulent architecture with contemporary elegance. Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 19 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for opulent

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Latin opulentus "abounding in resources, wealthy," from op-, *ops "power, ability, wealth" + -ulentus "having in quantity, full of" (probably dissimilated from *-o-u̯ent-os, with Indo-European *-u̯ent-, suffix of possession) — more at opus

First Known Use

circa 1518, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of opulent was circa 1518

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Opulent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opulent. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

opulent

adjective
op·​u·​lent ˈäp-yə-lənt How to pronounce opulent (audio)
: having or showing much wealth
opulently adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on opulent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!