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 is the kind of show where an opulent tea party is dramatized not just by many different plates of fancy pastries, fancy wreaths and lots of furniture, but by having all that stuff carted in by a dozen or so butlers, maids and other servants. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 1 Oct. 2026 For some styles, the chains reached across the toes and met a large opulent jewel at the center of the vamp. — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026 His tenure was a creatively fecund one, and some of his work—most famously the charmingly opulent Bird on the Rock design—has remained in production ever since. — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2026 Goodman writes in magnificent detail about the opulent window displays, room interiors, and, most notably, the people (including the designers, clients, salespeople, and photographers) that made the store a landmark. — Air Mail, 19 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for opulent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opulent
Adjective
  • But more than half of the volume, about $62 trillion, of transfers is expected to come from those who are currently wealthy—which together make up only 2% of all households.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Lavie used dating apps to steal from wealthy older men and younger women in Westlake Village, West Hollywood, Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, prosecutors said in charging documents.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Turn it into a complete hair-care package by adding a silky scrunchie, a scalp massager, a luxurious hair mask, or a new brush.
    — Ethan Stone October 9, Idaho Statesman, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Making casual clothes look luxurious was hardly new, but Cucinelli did it in a way that flattered changing body shapes while establishing an instantly recognizable aesthetic.
    — Robb Report, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Chan Luu is hardly an emerging brand because of its rich history, but Tessa Tran, the niece of Chan Luu, bought back the family business in 2023 and has since revived the line as artistic director.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • At least 84 people remained missing in one of the deadliest shipwrecks yet on the popular but perilous crossing from the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula, where many migrants seek work in rich Gulf nations.
    — JAMEY KEATEN, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 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
  • Quiet luxury, by invitation Fortune previously reported affluent Gen Z and millennials were prioritizing experiences, wellness, and identity over traditional luxury possessions.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Still, affluent families will be more likely to afford the full scope of additional, out-of-pocket investments, Goldman said.
    — Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • That philosophy heavily shapes Varas’s work in ultra-luxury residential building.
    — Kelly Allen, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Several residents — Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis included — are raising concerns about a controversial plan to build four ultra-luxury glass towers that would rise 270 feet high on Fort Lauderdale’s landmark Pier Sixty-Six property.
    — Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 2 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Joji is also getting in on the fun with a deluxe edition of Piss In The Wind, featuring new tracks and instrumentals.
    — Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Wilson’s work in music includes the albums Sound of a Woman, released earlier this year (a deluxe version dropped in September); AM/FM; Rita Wilson; Bigger Picture, and Halfway to Home.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The deep crimson drapes, white tablecloths, and understated gold accents at T’ang evoke a lavish Chinese mansion.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Oct. 2026
  • As a whole, the ballet’s arc can feel unfocussed, arhythmic—some parts overstuffed with action, others failing to fill with expressive movement Joby Talbot’s lavish score.
    — Hannah Aizenman, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Opulent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opulent. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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