Definition of opulentnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word opulent distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of opulent are affluent, rich, and wealthy. While all these words mean "having goods, property, and money in abundance," opulent suggests lavish expenditure and display of great wealth, more often applying to things than people.

an opulent mansion

Where would affluent be a reasonable alternative to opulent?

While the synonyms affluent and opulent are close in meaning, affluent suggests prosperity and an increasing wealth.

an affluent society

When can rich be used instead of opulent?

While in some cases nearly identical to opulent, rich implies having more than enough to gratify normal needs or desires.

became rich through shrewd investing

When is wealthy a more appropriate choice than opulent?

The words wealthy and opulent can be used in similar contexts, but wealthy stresses the possession of property and intrinsically valuable things.

wealthy landowners

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 opulent Lauren pared down the lavish setting from his fall ready-to-wear show of opulent rugs and antique chairs, keeping the setting white and minimalist with attendees sitting on ivory fabric benches and models emerging from behind white doors. ABC News, 9 Sep. 2026 Palmares offers a full destination experience, with three different golf courses, stunning views of the Atlantic, opulent lodging, fine cuisine, and much to enjoy outside the fairways. Jeff Goudy, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Qianlong, one of history’s greatest and most prolific collectors, had opulent taste and seemingly bottomless funds. Stephy Chung, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026 Both opulent mansions were built in the 19th century and feature sprawling grounds, with authentic Victorian fixtures and furniture in the Vaile mansion drawing visitors from all over the world. Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for opulent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opulent
Adjective
  • Around the halfway point of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, Petya Trofimov — eternal grad student, moral purist, and former tutor to the once wealthy family whose diminution sits at the heart of the play — makes a speech.
    Sara Holdren, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
  • When a wealthy, royal woman is attacked by bandits, the two men save her and are welcomed to the castle as valiant knights.
    Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • This ban never affected the Mozzi family, though, who’ve owned their luxurious ancestral villa in Lombardy for centuries.
    Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Or a most luxurious Air Force One with all the latest security features.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • But good fiction requires novelists to step beyond niceness and toward some richer mix of curiosity and compassion.
    Sanjena Sathian, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
  • On Sunday, the model stopped by a Brooklyn farmer’s market for an autumnal bouquet—all rich oranges and dusky browns—which coordinated with her fall ’fit.
    Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 21 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Olivia Miles, the rookie point guard for the Minnesota Lynx, wears a pair of bug-eyed sports goggles, black and bulbous, sometimes held in place by a thick strap that runs through her luxuriant Afro.
    Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
  • At the end of the fifth group, one girl’s face blossomed into a radiant flower, and another drew herself with luxuriant pigtails, standing beneath a bright red beating heart.
    James Gordon, Time, 14 July 2026
Adjective
  • Ralph Lauren’s latest quarterly report showed revenue rose 14%, led by demand from younger shoppers as well as affluent ones.
    Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Serious crimes in predominantly white or more affluent areas were far more likely to become CMPD priorities, McFadden told The Charlotte Observer in 2018.
    Amber Gaudet, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • This marks the only occurrence since 2017 that a non-luxury company has taken the first position on the Paris bourse at the end of a day of trading.
    Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Add in the ultra-luxury Hermès editions ($1,399 for Series 12; $1,499 for Ultra 4), and both lines can climb into true luxury territory.
    Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 14 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Leading up to the anniversary, Beyoncé launched pre-orders for a deluxe vinyl being sold for $150.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The new 31-track album marks a return to the original album’s deluxe version, which features Spanish-language tracks.
    Rushawn Walters, Washington Post, 4 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Zendaya chose a glittering Prada gown bedecked in shimmering crystals with a plunging tulle neckline, along with Mikimoto jewelry, including lavish pearl-and-diamond earrings and two rings from the Petals collection.
    Meg Walters, InStyle, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The short clip highlights a lavish chandelier and floral centerpieces, and even shows Melania carefully arranging elegant silverware and glassware on the dinner table.
    StyleCaster Editors, StyleCaster, 19 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Opulent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opulent. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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