august

adjective

ȯ-ˈgəst How to pronounce august (audio)
Definition of augustnext
1
as in imposing
having or showing a formal and serious or reserved manner unsurprisingly, the head of the bank is an august white-haired gentleman

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in glorious
large and impressive in size, grandeur, extent, or conception an august golden anniversary celebration for the company

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of august Tut-tutting about how the president and his minions have turned an august judicial process into an over-the-top spectacle is not going to get them anywhere, especially with their otherwise reliable media allies. — Matthew Walther, TheWeek, 17 Jan. 2020 The metropolitan elitism that looks down from the august heights of Ivy League self-esteem on the centrality of athletic programs to so many colleges is quite entrenched. — Gerard Baker, WSJ, 17 Jan. 2020 At the moment, the Oscars reflect the Academy, but the Academy reflects nothing but its august name; plausible deniability and the shunning of responsibility are built into the current system. — Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2020 Most were faculty, august scholars and artists, but W, a singer with a staff job, was also part of the circle. — Longreads, 2 Jan. 2020 See All Example Sentences for august
Recent Examples of Synonyms for august
  1. imposing
  2. glorious
  3. solemn
  4. magnificent
  5. distinguished
  6. epic
  7. staid
  8. royal
Adjective
  • Propaganda posters from the era from both the democratic United States and the Axis powers surround the imposing, heavy-duty boots, covered in animal hair and insulation.
    — Douglas Markowitz, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026
  • The source of Soloviev’s angst lay in part in growing up with a father who was one of the more imposing, cantankerous figures in the history of New York real estate — a demographic with stiff competition.
    — Reeves Wiedeman, Curbed, 22 June 2026
Definition of imposing
Adjective
  • Created by Chicago painter Nathaniel Mary Quinn, the image mashes up caricatures of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ron Wood into a glorious grotesquerie that channels the colorful glam-trash aesthetics of the band’s late-’70s phase.
    — Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 13 July 2026
  • There are few things more glorious than walking along the lake in my hometown.
    — Rima Suqi, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
Definition of glorious
Adjective
  • In both the novel and its film adaptation, the scriptorium is portrayed as a solemn place where writing is a mechanical, joyless labor.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
  • But the challenge has remained over the decades for popes that the threat of schism, or a rupture within the church, might lurk behind a preference for a more solemn liturgy.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Definition of solemn
Adjective
  • The gods speak obtusely, even in Nolan’s script, but this magnificent epic leaves us with the ability to heed their meaning.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 15 July 2026
  • While hiking trails will be a challenge for those with mobility issues, the main thoroughfare through Muir Woods will not be and invites everyone to enjoy these magnificent trees and space.
    — Kimberley Lovato, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 July 2026
Definition of magnificent
Adjective
  • Its method is both distinguished and derived from nineteenth-century classics, from which Rohmer distills a modernism of variety, ambiguity, complexity, and fragmentation.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 9 July 2026
  • Brand was inducted into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1972 and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1978 as a distinguished member.
    — Norah Judson, Des Moines Register, 9 July 2026
Definition of distinguished
Adjective
  • Next up is a 32% clearance on the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus outdoor speaker, a rugged, floating boombox engineered to make your parties epic.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 14 July 2026
  • In an era when soundbites and short clips reign supreme, some of the most powerful people in the world are sitting down with Lex Fridman to have conversations of epic length.
    — Leslie Horn Peterson, Time, 14 July 2026
Definition of epic
Adjective
  • Our signature line wasn't built by chasing trends—it was built by identifying a segment of a staid industry that no one had done before, so that every launch genuinely advances our position.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • All this adds to that signature Hermès sense of lightness and joy, in what otherwise would be a staid and heavy, storied luxury house.
    — Nick Scott, Robb Report, 28 June 2026
Definition of staid
Adjective
  • Weapons are also commonly discovered in these tombs, but not only next to royal men.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 17 July 2026
  • Charlotte may have royal roots, but the city doesn’t scream about its culture.
    — Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
Definition of royal

Browse Nearby Words

augury
august
augustness
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Cite this Entry

“August.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/august. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on august

Nglish: Translation of august for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about august

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