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

• wealthy
• rich
• affluent

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

Around his neck, layered chains shining under the flashbulbs, bringing in just the right dose of jewelry to complement the suit’s already opulent fabric. —Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 15 Aug. 2025

The series has never strived to be anything more than opulent fluff, but it still gets consistently pilloried for its lack of realism. —Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2025

Cardi announced the single on Monday (Aug. 11) while revealing the opulent cover art, which finds her in a white fur coat and sitting on the front of a matching Rolls-Royce. —Michael Saponara, Billboard, 15 Aug. 2025

Dubai reaches skyward with gleaming glass towers, opulent malls, and bustling souks scented with saffron, oud, and cardamom. —Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025

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