glorious

adjective

glo·​ri·​ous ˈglȯr-ē-əs How to pronounce glorious (audio)
1
a
: possessing or deserving glory : illustrious
had a long and glorious military career
b
: entitling one to glory
a glorious victory
2
: marked by great beauty or splendor : magnificent
a glorious sunset
3
: delightful, wonderful
had a glorious weekend
gloriously adverb
gloriousness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for glorious

splendid, resplendent, gorgeous, glorious, sublime, superb mean extraordinarily or transcendently impressive.

splendid implies outshining the usual or customary.

the wedding was a splendid occasion

resplendent suggests a glowing or blazing splendor.

resplendent in her jewelry

gorgeous implies a rich splendor especially in display of color.

a gorgeous red dress

glorious suggests radiance that heightens beauty or distinction.

a glorious sunset

sublime implies an exaltation or elevation almost beyond human comprehension.

a vision of sublime beauty

superb suggests an excellence reaching the highest conceivable degree.

her singing was superb

Examples of glorious in a Sentence

He had a long and glorious military career. The old ruins give only a hint of the city's glorious past. The government has described the battle as a glorious victory. Our room had a glorious view of the mountains.
Recent Examples on the Web After a few hiccups in the last year or two, are Botafogo finally ready to write their own glorious history and return to winning silverware? Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024 And what ensued includes glorious and colorful looks galore. Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 25 Sep. 2024 And the public, glad to simplify life, or possibly dazzled by the promise of a glorious future, lets the rider take charge. Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2024 Home to miles and miles of glorious mountain biking areas, including North Table Mountain and White Ranch Park, Hanlon loves spending time riding with family near the Front Range and beyond. Outside Online, 20 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for glorious 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'glorious.' 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

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French glorios, from Latin gloriosus glorious, vainglorious, from gloria

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of glorious was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near glorious

Cite this Entry

“Glorious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glorious. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

glorious

adjective
glo·​ri·​ous ˈglōr-ē-əs How to pronounce glorious (audio)
ˈglȯr-
1
a
: possessing or deserving glory : illustrious
b
: bringing glory
glorious victory
2
: having great beauty or splendor
a glorious sunset
3
: delightful
had a glorious day
gloriously adverb
gloriousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on glorious

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