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 This area of the Oltrarno is one of huge contrasts where artisan workshops stand meters from the grand palazzi whose aristocratic owners once employed cabinet makers, picture framers, furniture painters, and upholsterers to decorate their opulent homes. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026 While the through note on these stellar wines was red- and black-berry flavors with opulent tannins and touches of spice, earth, and dark chocolate, each wine was distinct and reflective of its season. Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 31 May 2026 There is perhaps no restaurant in New York City right now more comprehensively opulent than Ambassadors Clubhouse, the ultra-luxurious Punjabi spot that occupies the ground and subterranean floors of the film company A24’s NoMad headquarters. Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 31 May 2026 Arriving at Lloyd Webber’s opulent Central London home for a preproduction meeting, Waddingham found the man behind some of theater’s greatest hits sitting at a piano. K.j. Yossman, Variety, 30 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for opulent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opulent
Adjective
  • Although not as wealthy as Jackson, Jones has also dug deep into his own pockets to keep his campaign afloat, lending it more than $16 million from his family’s fortune.
    Shannon McCaffrey, AJC.com, 10 June 2026
  • And while organizers worried in 1994 about empty seats because of a lack of American fans, this year fans complain that high ticket costs are making the games affordable only for the ultra wealthy.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 9 June 2026
Adjective
  • All game was fair game, and eating wild things was both luxurious and banal—throughout the country the consumption of wild animals was entirely typical.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
  • The spa Tucked away from the hotel’s main areas is the luxurious Lanesborough Club & Spa, an urban oasis widely recognized as one of the city's most exclusive wellness addresses.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 June 2026
Adjective
  • Visitors to New Castle, Delaware, are greeted by cobblestone streets, alleys, dense urbanism and rich history.
    Staff, USA Today, 8 June 2026
  • Maryland’s identity is intertwined with the luminous blue crab, which builds up fat reserves in the cold waters of the Chesapeake Bay during winter hibernation, giving it a bold, rich flavor.
    Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026
Adjective
  • My room had a four-poster bed, a cast-iron stove and a luxuriant bathroom with a set of two freestanding baths and a large farmhouse sink.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
  • But now all that luxuriant coat is starting to come off.
    Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The killing last year stunned an affluent Dallas suburb where the teenagers attended school and quickly drew wider attention, in part over social media posts that amplified the case in racial terms.
    ABC News, ABC News, 4 June 2026
  • Goodrich and prosecutors say the most common profile is a middle-aged, affluent White man who is married with children.
    Olivia Young, CBS News, 4 June 2026
Adjective
  • Almost 74% of the auto loans requiring owners to pay $1,000 or more every month are for non-luxury models, with the top five models being popular pickup trucks including the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Ram 1500, according to Experian.
    Phil LeBeau,Meghan Reeder, CNBC, 28 May 2026
  • The project will include 80 ultra-luxury beach and overwater villas, hotel rooms, and residences available for purchase.
    Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Adjective
  • Although Kirby Smart and mascot Hairy Dawg made the rather crowded deluxe cover of the college football game in 2026, no Georgia or Georgia Tech player has ever received such an honor.
    Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 3 June 2026
  • Last year’s game featured the receiving duo of Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Alabama’s Ryan Williams on the standard cover, along with a host of players and coaches on the deluxe cover.
    David Ubben, New York Times, 2 June 2026
Adjective
  • The lavish €6,000 ($6,900) a night Villa Igiea — a Rocco Forte property where the newlyweds and several guests stayed — was a film set for the HBO series.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 7 June 2026
  • Ultimately Kim is likely to give Xi a grand and lavish welcome at the symbolic level, but China may not be able to extract much from an increasingly confident Kim, experts say.
    ABC News, ABC News, 7 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Opulent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opulent. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.

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