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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But Campbell spoke in such a way that Patriots fans could put aside the arm length/wingspan jabber for just a bit and embrace New England’s glorious past while daydreaming about a promising future. Steve Buckley, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025 Mallorca may be known for its nightlife, its glorious beaches and lately, unfortunately, some of its tourism growing pains. Ann Abel, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025 The venue: the glorious TCL Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 25 Apr. 2025 The art fair went on hiatus in 2020 and is now making its glorious return at the retro Hotel del Sol in the Marina District. Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for glorious

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

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Cite this Entry

“Glorious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glorious. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

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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