OPULENT Synonyms: 123 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

opulent

adjective

ˈä-pyə-lənt

Definition of opulent

as in wealthy

having goods, property, or money in abundance an opulent upper crust that liked to show off its possessions

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in luxurious

showing obvious signs of wealth and comfort an opulent mansion filled with priceless art and antiques

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 From Saint Laurent’s opulent designs to Chanel’s beautiful beaded pieces, there was a real sense that more is more, with color featuring prominently across collections. — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026 Window treatments and textured fabrics will make a room look more opulent. — Megan McCarty, The Spruce, 12 Oct. 2026 Gunna pulls up to the opulent party in style, taking a chopper in with his love interest. — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 9 Oct. 2026 In opulent London salons at the turn of the 19th century, economists including David Ricardo and Thomas Malthus debated trade, famine and the fate of the poor. — Julia R. Cartwright, Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for opulent

Recent Examples of Synonyms for opulent

Adjective

Even after the setback, young households remained wealthier than their counterparts were before the pandemic.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
The airline sees lots of wealthy customers traveling to and from Broward and wants to cater to them with fancier flights.

— Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of wealthy

Adjective

After decades of neglect and subsequent disrepair, it was recently restored into a luxurious one-bedroom retreat that honors its historic roots while embracing contemporary amenities like a king bed, an en-suite bathroom, and a sleek living area.

— Madeline Weinfield, Architectural Digest, 16 Oct. 2026
The result was a journey that allowed the guests to experience some of the planet’s last truly wild places in a way that felt adventurous, luxurious, and safe.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of luxurious

Adjective

Ocean iron fertilization grew from the idea that iron-rich dust blown across the oceans during past ice ages fed blooms of phytoplankton, helping to lower atmospheric CO₂.

— Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
That opened the door to a rich landscape of DIY VR development, complete with software tools and hardware advice on how to get started.

— Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of rich

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

Definition of luxuriant

Adjective

The men talked about who would assault the woman beforehand, took photos and recorded the assault, which was also seen on a security system feed at the home in Sullivan's Island, an affluent suburb of Charleston, state agents said.

— MEG KINNARD, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
Getting affluent early adopters on board now could be considered a win given the macro headwinds.

— Kif Leswing,Annie Palmer,Jordan Novet, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of affluent

Adjective

The trip, which accompanies an Aït Atta family on their seasonal migration, includes deluxe glamping-style accommodations, activities like traditional bread baking and jewelry-making, as well as a private local guide throughout.

— Jen Murphy, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Oct. 2026
All five extra songs will be available in a standalone vinyl edition, as well as in a deluxe 2CD edition and across all digital formats.

— Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of deluxe

Adjective

Lin has been a steady hand in Netflix’s film operations for two-and-a-half years, ushered in to stop the lavish spending of the streamer’s formative Scott Stuber era.

— Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 17 Oct. 2026
World-class accommodations and dining, wellness facilities, and an array of indulgent activities and events are transforming harbors into truly lavish havens.

— Chrissie McClatchie, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of lavish

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opulence

opulent

opulently

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“Opulent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opulent. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of opulent

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