grandeur

noun

gran·​deur ˈgran-jər 

-ˌju̇r,

-ˌd(y)u̇r,

-d(y)ər

1

: the quality or state of being grand : magnificence

the glory that was Greece and the grandeur that was Rome

—E. A. Poe

2

: an instance or example of grandeur

visited the awesome grandeurs of the American West

Synonyms

• augustness
• brilliance
• gloriousness
• glory
• gorgeousness
• grandness
• magnificence
• majesty
• nobility
• nobleness
• resplendence
• resplendency
• splendidness
• splendiferousness
• splendor
• stateliness
• stupendousness
• sublimeness
• superbness

Examples of grandeur in a Sentence

His paintings capture the beauty and grandeur of the landscape.

They are restoring the hotel to its original grandeur.

Recent Examples on the Web

Rainbow light filters through stained glass, and the wood-slat ceiling has symphony-hall grandeur. —John Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 3 Feb. 2025

Archaeologists have unearthed a lavish private bath complex in Pompeii, highlighting the wealth and grandeur of the ancient Roman city before it was destroyed by Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, the site said on Friday. —Fox News, 18 Jan. 2025

Yet everything that goes up must come down, and hubris is one of the major symptoms of delusions of grandeur. —Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025

The Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River blends riverside serenity with cosmopolitan buzz and achieves the holy grail of marrying grandeur and scale with intimate spaces. —Lauren Mowery, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, from Old French, from grand

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

grandeur

noun

gran·​deur ˈgran-jər 

1

: the quality or state of being grand : awe-inspiring magnificence

2

: something that is grand