1
as in pageant
an elaborate, visually exciting show or event
the multimedia spectacles that have become established parts of the opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympic Games
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in glass
spectacles plural
a pair of lenses set in a frame that is held in place with ear supports and which are usually worn to correct vision
bought a pair of spectacles with nonprescription lenses simply to look more intelligent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spectacle
Scale Biu Tsim Kok hill for a panoramic spectacle of Long Ke Wan's untouched beauty, proving that nature, indeed, is the best artist.
—
Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2026
Sprint races, which are one-third of the normal grand prix distance were first introduced in 2021 as a way to add more of a spectacle to race weekends, with three sprints held that season and in 2022.
—Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Across these intersecting stories, Al-Khatib looks beyond the spectacle of war, resisting the notion that lives can be reduced to headlines and politics.
—Teresa Xie, NPR, 20 Feb. 2026
The spectacle drew a swath of front office members into the stands and delayed the arrivals of pitching coaches Matt Blake and Preston Claiborne in Sarasota.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spectacle
Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2026
Sprint races, which are one-third of the normal grand prix distance were first introduced in 2021 as a way to add more of a spectacle to race weekends, with three sprints held that season and in 2022.
—Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Across these intersecting stories, Al-Khatib looks beyond the spectacle of war, resisting the notion that lives can be reduced to headlines and politics.
—Teresa Xie, NPR, 20 Feb. 2026
The spectacle drew a swath of front office members into the stands and delayed the arrivals of pitching coaches Matt Blake and Preston Claiborne in Sarasota.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spectacle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spectacle
Noun
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Figure skating is like a pageant wrapped in a game show with a little bit of reality show thrown in.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
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The finale is, fittingly, D&G’s tribute to Puccini and Verdi and the grand pageant that is Italian opera.—
Jane Wooldridge,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The villas, by comparison, are very modern, very clean-lined and flooded with light through extensive glass walls; both have their own kitchen and pool, for guests who want total privacy.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Feb. 2026
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This short set pairs ivory glass with dainty gold chrome tips.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Angie Marchese, vice president of archives and exhibits at Graceland, came up with a few more boxes of unseen footage, a stash of Super 8 movies of Elvis that included rare footage of Elvis with his wife, Priscilla Presley, and only child, Lisa Marie Presley.—
Peter Larsen,
Daily News,
24 Feb. 2026
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At an exhibit of graphic war posters, alongside a small hole in the ceiling from a shell, a sign read, art as practiced by general franco.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Ditch the gallery guide and let the city's alleys be your curator for some street art, from Central's technicolor to Tsuen Wan's factory facades turned art installations and the Asia Society Hong Kong Center's open-air exhibitions.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
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Mayweather has fought in eight exhibition matches since, the last one coming against John Gotti III — the grandson of infamous mob boss John Gotti — in Mexico City in August 2024.—
Matt Schubert,
New York Times,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
For Valentine’s Day, their biggest day of the year, the shop will lean into the spectacular.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
4 Feb. 2026
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Nerds’ ad will air during the second quarter of the gridiron spectacular.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But several metal frames that once held interpretive displays remain bare.—
Eva Andersen,
CBS News,
25 Feb. 2026
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When then-Mayor Bill de Blasio went to the hospital to visit Ramos and Liu’s families, cops there turned their back on him in a dramatic display of anger.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Burberry, after all, closes the fall 2026 season tomorrow with its usual celebs-in-trenches extravaganza.—
Alice Newbold,
Vogue,
22 Feb. 2026
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What started as a fairly modest four-day music festival in 1987, drawing some 700 attendees, has become a ten-day extravaganza of panel presentations featuring celebrities and business leaders, film screenings, technology showcases, and—yes—music.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spectacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spectacle. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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