spectacular

1 of 2

adjective

spec·​tac·​u·​lar spek-ˈta-kyə-lər How to pronounce spectacular (audio)
spək-
: of, relating to, or being a spectacle : striking, sensational
a spectacular display of fireworks
spectacularly adverb

spectacular

2 of 2

noun

: something that is spectacular
especially : an elaborate film, television, or theatrical production

Example Sentences

Adjective a spectacular play in a football game The autumn foliage was spectacular. Noun the larger-than-life spectaculars that make Las Vegas attractive to people with little interest in gambling
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
All eyes were on Jordan this week as Crown Prince Hussein married Rajwa Al Saif, now Princess Rajwa, in a spectacular wedding that featured royalty from all around the world (and so many tiaras!). Town & Country, 4 June 2023 Manatees and stingrays swim at a leisurely pace, leading to spectacular views of the phenomenon in slow motion, while speeding schools of mullet create quick flashes, appearing like hundreds of green bottle rockets going off underwater. Talia Avakian, Travel + Leisure, 4 June 2023 Chef Juan Sanjuan is known far and wide for his spectacular Mascota, Jalisco-style green pozole. Alejandro Maciel, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2023 That massive step-up in box office draw can be attributed to spectacular buzz. J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 3 June 2023 Flower Mound Marcus senior Emma Sralla The Stanford signee finished her spectacular high school career as the second-best discus thrower in U.S. history, trailing only Olympian Shelbi Vaughan from Mansfield Legacy. Greg Riddle, Dallas News, 2 June 2023 On Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Bennifer just closed on a spectacular, five-acre spread in Los Angeles, which would add yet another gem to their growing real estate portfolio. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 1 June 2023 Meanwhile, many VCs are moving onto other buzzy areas like A.I. as the crypto and Web3 space lost much of its allure for more generalist VCs following the spectacular collapse of FTX late last year. Anne Sraders, Fortune, 1 June 2023 Ksepka: There is a spectacular radiation of birds happening in the first few million years after that mass extinction. Flora Lichtman, Scientific American, 31 May 2023
Noun
Thursday’s concert was the world premiere of Abba Voyage, a 90-minute spectacular that runs in London seven times a week until at least December, with potential to extend until April 2026, when the permission for the Abba Arena expires, with the land being designated for housing. New York Times, 27 May 2022 Along with working alongside each other on the current season 21 of The Voice, Grande and Clarkson will also team up for Clarkson's upcoming holiday spectacular Kelly Clarkson Presents: When Christmas Comes Around airing Wednesday, Dec. 1, at 10 p.m. ET on NBC. Brianne Tracy, PEOPLE.com, 23 Nov. 2021 Well, that's not Car and Driver's YouTube spectacular, Window Shop. John Pearley Huffman, Car and Driver, 31 Mar. 2023 Directed once again by franchise filmmaker Chad Stahelski, this fourth installment in the action series is a globe-trotting spectacular, boasting a seemingly endless parade of jaw-dropping action sequences, and a running time of just under three hours. Clark Collis, EW.com, 22 Mar. 2023 Cinema visits are becoming a rarer, more expensive activity that is increasingly motivated by event films, franchise instalments and giant screen spectaculars. Patrick Frater, Variety, 5 Mar. 2023 Interested in a visual spectacular? Britt Julious, Chicago Tribune, 12 Sep. 2022 In 1985, Tinker Bell was the first character to take flight across Disneyland's castle during a nighttime spectacular at the California park. Daniela Avila, Peoplemag, 30 Jan. 2023 With Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu at the helm and a screenplay by Quiara Alegría Hudes, Manuel’s musical spectacular also gets a Hollywood-worthy update with a superstar cast. Marilyn La Jeunesse, Glamour, 9 June 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spectacular.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin spectaculum

First Known Use

Adjective

1682, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1873, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of spectacular was in 1682

Dictionary Entries Near spectacular

Cite this Entry

“Spectacular.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spectacular. Accessed 8 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

spectacular

adjective
spec·​tac·​u·​lar
spek-ˈtak-yə-lər,
spək-
: of, relating to, or being a spectacle : exciting to see : sensational
a spectacular sunset
spectacularly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on spectacular

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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