marvelous

adjective

mar·​vel·​ous ˈmärv-(ə-)ləs 

variants or chiefly British marvellous

1

: causing wonder : astonishing

the marvelous directional sense of migrating birds

2

: miraculous, supernatural

Gothic tales of marvelous and bizarre happenings

3

: of the highest kind or quality : notably superior

has a marvelous way with children

marvelously adverb

or chiefly British marvellously

marvelously inventive

sang marvelously

marvelousness noun

or chiefly British marvellousness

Synonyms

• amazing
• astonishing
• astounding
• awesome
• awful
• eye-opening
• fabulous
• miraculous
• portentous
• prodigious
• staggering
• stunning
• stupendous
• sublime
• surprising
• wonderful
• wondrous

Examples of marvelous in a Sentence

We had a marvelous time at the party.

He has a marvelous way with children.

The weather was simply marvelous.

Recent Examples on the Web

This is a marvelous, mesmerizing film that offers no easy answers. —Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 June 2024

Light has this marvelous way of providing illumination for others in need of it. —Colin Fleming, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2024

The family looked marvelous–every person who showed up had was fab from head to toe. —Elizabeth Ayoola and Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 31 May 2024

There are marvelous set pieces, like a dream sequence in which a field of daisies becomes a troupe of tap dancers—they’re half Silly Symphony, half Busby Berkeley. —Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 31 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English merveillous, borrowed from Anglo-French, from merveille marvel entry 1 + -ous -ous

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

marvelous

adjective

mar·​vel·​ous

variants or marvellous

ˈmärv-(ə-)ləs 

1

: causing wonder or astonishment

2

: having the characteristics of a miracle

3

: of the highest kind or quality : splendid

we had a marvelous time

marvelously adverb

marvelousness noun