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 The cars that Geely showcased at CES, in Las Vegas, were large SUVs with big wheels, opulent interiors, and three rows of seats—not unlike a Ford Explorer. Patrick George, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026 On April 18, 1956, she and Prince Rainier wed in a civil ceremony at the palace before an opulent religious ceremony the following day at Monaco’s Saint Nicholas Cathedral. Rachel Garrahan, Vogue, 22 Jan. 2026 The corporate neckwear is the everyday counterpart to the traditionally more luxurious cravat – a voluminous neckscarf that conjures up images of opulent dinners aboard a yacht sailing through the Mediterranean. Kristina Kukolja, NPR, 21 Jan. 2026 There’s nothing revolutionary or stunningly opulent on display here. Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 21 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for opulent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opulent
Adjective
  • Its dual mission is to bridge the early-stage funding gap and guarantee global access, ensuring products aren’t confined to wealthy markets for decades but are introduced in low- and middle-income countries in parallel.
    Ana Castelain, Bloomberg, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Critics have warned that such an imposition will spark capital flight as wealthy people decide to simply uproot, as Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have already started to do.
    Tristan Bove, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Her nursery is luxurious with cushions and toys, soft rugs and sofas.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
  • In terms of places to stay, the region’s revival has been led by the arrival of Fowlescombe Farm, a 450-acre regenerative retreat near the wilds of Dartmoor featuring 10 luxurious suites housed in timeworn stone barns and a Victorian farmhouse, decorated in a sleek but sensitive contemporary style.
    Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Layer warm materials and textures to make spaces feel richer and less stark.
    Ashlyn Needham, The Spruce, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Trump has repeatedly touted Venezuela’s rich oil supply as among the motivations for the January 2 military assault on the country and the capture of its leader, Nicolás Maduro, who has since been charged with drug trafficking and weapons possession.
    Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • To watch his dank, brooding studies in social collapse, most of them filmed in long, loping black-and-white takes, is to embark on an oddly luxuriant descent into Purgatory.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Plenty of intimate questions and long, luxuriant answers followed.
    Sara Holdren, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Adjective
  • In general, rural areas have declining populations that are older and less affluent than urban areas — trends that aren’t likely to change in the near future, said Katherine Hempstead, senior policy officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
    Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 11 Jan. 2026
  • The building itself dates from the mid-1800s, when the Beaufort Gardens terraces were first constructed for affluent London families.
    Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Page, meanwhile, has followed a more Bezos-ian playbook by decamping to Miami, dropping about $173 million on two ultra-luxury waterfront mansions in Miami’s posh Coconut Grove neighborhood.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2026
  • There were 56 properties sold in both years, but far fewer ultra-luxury homes hit the market last year compared to 2024, resulting in a wild swing.
    Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Choose a deluxe cabin for the full crew, which comes with either two queen beds or a queen bed and a pull-out sofa, sleeping up to four people.
    Jenny Willden, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Jan. 2026
  • Now three decades later, Sideshow has become the internet’s premier destination for deluxe pop culture collectibles, offering not only statues and figures crafted by Sideshow’s artisans but also a huge range of officially licensed products from artists all over the world.
    Robert Lang, Deadline, 23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • The lavish lifestyle, previously kept in the dark, was now out in the open.
    Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
  • Several design vestiges remain from its heyday welcoming famous guests, lavish parties and cabaret shows including the iconic landmark neon sign at the top of the building.
    Sara Liss, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Opulent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opulent. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.

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