spectacular 1 of 2

Definition of spectacularnext
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spectacular

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noun

as in exhibit
an elaborate, visually exciting show or event the larger-than-life spectaculars that make Las Vegas attractive to people with little interest in gambling

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 spectacular
Adjective
Shoot, Epcot threw the turn of the century a parade and a nighttime spectacular. Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026 Nestled where the Alps meet the Adriatic Sea, this land boasts spectacular natural beauty, a fascinating recent history, and a spirit of adventure – and somehow has stayed off the typical tourist path. Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 8 Apr. 2026
Noun
Each December, cities around Europe transform into twinkling holiday spectaculars, hosting Christmas markets and general cheer, where the hot cocoa flows like a river. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026 These itinerant lecturers performed experiments and spectaculars in London coffeehouses and aristocratic salons, demonstrating Newtonian physics. Beth Dufault, The Conversation, 15 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spectacular
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spectacular
Adjective
  • Blown out, extravagant, dripping with ferocious malaise and desperation, but precisely arranged for the maximum possible emotional effect.
    Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Even dinner is an extravagant affair.
    Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • What the staff and workers have done in this span of time has been incredible.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
  • As pontiff, Leo wields incredible power and influence — but in truth, the message isn’t new.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The child went through a small opening in a wooden barrier perimeter fence and entered a restricted area near the wolf exhibit, the Derry Township Police said.
    ABC News, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
  • Inside the penguin exhibit, a cake made out of LEGO bricks honored 150 years of the zoo.
    Caroline Foreback, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Elsa’s story is quickly revealed as fiction, written by Raúl, a film director in 2026 (Argentina’s Leonardo Sbaraglia, an Almodovar look-alike in his flamboyant bouffant white hair).
    John Hopewell, Variety, 6 Apr. 2026
  • Catherine O'Hara, who died suddenly in January, played matriarch Moira Rose, a flamboyant former soap opera star.
    Anthony Mason, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The extraordinary review of a media outlet’s coverage, revealed in emails obtained by The Star, is unheard of in Kansas City politics, according to one former mayor.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2026
  • My father had lived an extraordinary life as a young Black man born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama, during the 1940s.
    Shayla Martin, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Loren got her start in beauty pageants as a young girl before turning to acting in the 1950s.
    Juliana Ukiomogbe, Architectural Digest, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Meanwhile, closer to home, at the Glock Horse Performance Center in Austria, Kathrin put together a series of lavish Horses & Stars pageants.
    Simon Akam, Vanity Fair, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The gesture is sentimental, showy, and, in all its glitz, moving in a way that haunts me.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
  • But these were more like performance anomalies than the showy rule of the evening.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Meteor showers can put on a spectacular show when seen with the naked eye, but also make for a phenomenal photographic target.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Tom Morello, the phenomenal guitarist who rose to fame as part of Rage Against the Machine, will be joining The Boss onstage for select songs during these shows.
    Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Spectacular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spectacular. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.

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