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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective noble differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of noble are ethical, moral, righteous, and virtuous. While all these words mean "conforming to a standard of what is right and good," noble implies moral eminence and freedom from anything petty, mean, or dubious in conduct and character.

had the noblest of reasons for seeking office

When might ethical be a better fit than noble?

The synonyms ethical and noble are sometimes interchangeable, but ethical may suggest the involvement of more difficult or subtle questions of rightness, fairness, or equity.

committed to the highest ethical principles

Where would moral be a reasonable alternative to noble?

While the synonyms moral and noble are close in meaning, moral implies conformity to established sanctioned codes or accepted notions of right and wrong.

the basic moral values of a community

When can righteous be used instead of noble?

Although the words righteous and noble have much in common, righteous stresses guiltlessness or blamelessness and often suggests the sanctimonious.

wished to be righteous before God and the world

When could virtuous be used to replace noble?

The words virtuous and noble can be used in similar contexts, but virtuous implies moral excellence in character.

not a religious person, but virtuous nevertheless

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 noble
Adjective
Anderson’s book makes a compelling argument that reaching for total audio domination was—and is—a noble endeavor, albeit one rife with pitfalls. John Hendrickson, The Atlantic, 10 July 2025 Royal titles are reserved for those born into or marrying into the family, while dukedoms and other noble titles are passed down through a family or granted by the reigning monarch. Stephanie Petit, People.com, 6 July 2025
Noun
The Carolingian Empire was indeed in crisis: Elite leaders denounced each other, the economy was shaky, famine stalked the land, nobles plotted coups against the emperor, and armies were on the march. Matthew Gabriele, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Dec. 2024 Among the intransigent nobles is Gawain’s own father, and Gawain sides with Arthur to defeat him. Alan Yuhas, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for noble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for noble
Adjective
  • Marten, 38, grew up in a wealthy, aristocratic family with ties to the royal family.
    Catherine Nicholls, CNN Money, 19 July 2025
  • Audiences online have reveled in this pivot from Hoult, whose aristocratic vibe has made for great period dramas but never juiced his off-duty style.
    Matt Donnelly, Variety, 14 July 2025
Adjective
  • Dropping that grenade on the audience with so little time left to feel the impact does Jill little justice, but DeWitt does, in fairness, invest great pathos in her.
    Andy Crump, Time, 20 July 2025
  • This is a great UFC fight card that will not disappoint; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.
    Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 July 2025
Adjective
  • Our leadership spends its time implying anyone with origins south of our border is less than honorable and must be deported regardless of their contributions, just to feel powerful.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2025
  • Michael Roth, the president of Wesleyan University in Connecticut, has taken the harder and more honorable route.
    John T. Shaw, Twin Cities, 10 July 2025
Adjective
  • The mansion’s marble stair hall focuses on a magnificent clock, designed by White and Saint-Gaudens, built into a wall and surrounded by the figures of the zodiac.
    Henry Wiencek July 22, Literary Hub, 22 July 2025
  • The building was a synagogue and the room, which had a magnificent candelabra chandelier at its center, had only a few candles lit.
    Rabbi Moishe Kievman, Sun Sentinel, 22 July 2025
Adjective
  • Brad Schmitt Hey there, new neighbors, and welcome back to our intro to Nashville and all the wonderful things the city has to offer you.
    Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 26 July 2025
  • Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.
    Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 26 July 2025
Adjective
  • The organizers of the 2024 Games in Paris allowed some of that city’s most distinguished landmarks to be utilized as part of the spectacle.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 23 July 2025
  • In June, Adam Sadovsky, with nearly 18 years of experience at Google, most recently as a distinguished software engineer and senior director at DeepMind, decamped to Microsoft.
    Jordan Novet, CNBC, 22 July 2025
Noun
  • The English aristocrat will receive an enormous sum to marry Gladys, the daughter of the railroad titan.
    Elise Taylor, Vogue, 7 July 2025
  • This novel, the first in a trilogy, pokes gentle fun at the aristocrat and all her unruly impulses.
    Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 4 June 2025
Adjective
  • In Chicago, that figure is even higher, with the average nuptials ringing up at $54,190, per the wedding planning service.
    Bailey Richards, People.com, 15 July 2025
  • Of this, 56 participants were women who had a higher body fat percentage and completed fewer press-ups in 1 minute than the male participants.
    Anuradha Varanasi, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Noble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/noble. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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