opulent

adjective

op·​u·​lent ˈä-pyə-lənt 

: exhibiting or characterized by opulence: such as

a

: amply or plentifully provided or fashioned often to the point of ostentation

living in opulent comfort

opulent furnishings

an opulent hotel

b

dated : having a large estate or property : wealthy

an opulent family

opulent industrialists

opulently adverb

Synonyms

• affluent
• deep-pocketed
• fat
• fat-cat
• flush
• loaded
• moneyed
• monied
• rich
• silk-stocking
• wealthy
• well-endowed
• well-fixed
• well-heeled
• well-off
• well-to-do

Choose the Right Synonym for opulent

rich, wealthy, affluent, opulent mean having goods, property, and money in abundance.

rich implies having more than enough to gratify normal needs or desires.

became rich through shrewd investing

wealthy stresses the possession of property and intrinsically valuable things.

wealthy landowners

affluent suggests prosperity and an increasing wealth.

an affluent society

opulent suggests lavish expenditure and display of great wealth, more often applying to things than people.

an opulent mansion

Examples of opulent in a Sentence

an opulent upper crust that liked to show off its possessions

an opulent mansion filled with priceless art and antiques

Recent Examples on the Web

The item is one of the opulent entries on the Neiman Marcus holiday catalog. —Melvin Backman, Quartz, 15 Nov. 2024

And last year, excavations revealed people had died as a result of an earthquake as well as the eruption and an opulent house was unveiled two decades after restoration began. —Hannah Peart, NBC News, 8 Nov. 2024

Curtains covered entire walls, with opulent fabrics draped across the entire length of a room to create a lush feel that plays well with maximalist designs. —Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Nov. 2024

With only a handful of spacious lots on Lake Tahoe, the San Francisco Bay Area buyers were drawn to this one-of-a-kind estate for its large five-acre lot, the private sandy beach, and opulent living spaces encompassing this tranquil and private retreat. —Amplified Content Studio, The Mercury News, 31 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Latin opulentus "abounding in resources, wealthy," from op-, *ops "power, ability, wealth" + -ulentus "having in quantity, full of" (probably dissimilated from *-o-u̯ent-os, with Indo-European *-u̯ent-, suffix of possession) — more at opus

First Known Use

circa 1518, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

opulent

adjective

op·​u·​lent ˈäp-yə-lənt 

: having or showing much wealth

opulently adverb