1
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude
one dinner guest was a little lordly about her status as a vegetarian, even asking the other diners how they could bear to eat dead animals
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2
as in proud
having or displaying feelings of scorn for what is regarded as beneath oneself
his lordly attitude toward people who enjoy popular music
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3
as in noble
having, characterized by, or arising from a dignified and generous nature
born to great wealth, he has always displayed a lordly generosity toward the less fortunate
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Recent Examples of lordly
But the cruelty and callousness of the lordly class infuses it all.
—
Ky Henderson, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2024
The surge ended in the World Series, the lordly Yankees winning in six games, but Mays was on his way and Durocher gave him full credit.
—Mike Kupper, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2024
The portrait of Markram that ultimately emerges is of a lordly sovereign stalking the halls of an island mansion, an autumn of the scientific patriarch.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2022
What comes next is a showdown between her force and his financial clout, between labor and the lordly class.
—Amy Nicholson, Variety, 11 Sep. 2022
From 1958 to 1961, sulking Giants and Dodgers fans had to put up with the lordly Yankees winning three pennants and two World Series.
—New York Times, 23 Mar. 2022
The lordly African lion in his zoo grotto will cast a sentimental glance at his shaggy mate.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2022
Player for player Atlanta shouldn’t be scaring the lordly Dodgers like this.
—Ray Glier, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2021
Ky Henderson, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2024
The surge ended in the World Series, the lordly Yankees winning in six games, but Mays was on his way and Durocher gave him full credit.
—Mike Kupper, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2024
The portrait of Markram that ultimately emerges is of a lordly sovereign stalking the halls of an island mansion, an autumn of the scientific patriarch.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2022
What comes next is a showdown between her force and his financial clout, between labor and the lordly class.
—Amy Nicholson, Variety, 11 Sep. 2022
From 1958 to 1961, sulking Giants and Dodgers fans had to put up with the lordly Yankees winning three pennants and two World Series.
—New York Times, 23 Mar. 2022
The lordly African lion in his zoo grotto will cast a sentimental glance at his shaggy mate.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2022
Player for player Atlanta shouldn’t be scaring the lordly Dodgers like this.
—Ray Glier, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lordly
Adjective
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The rabbi is ornery, arrogant, sometimes cruel.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Those leaders who ignore or flout the law aren’t merely unethical but fatally arrogant, putting their childish willfulness over the wisdom of generations.—
David Brooks,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
One of his proudest accomplishments was creating the FWISD Scholar Athlete Award program.—
Kamal Morgan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Mar. 2026
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On the question of T-pop’s rising global profile, Satur is proud but measured.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Set the scene Set back from Via del Corso, one of Rome’s main arteries, this former noble palazzo, the 15th-century Palazzo Salviati Cesi Mellini, was also a bank before its present incarnation.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
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In the 20th century dozens of movies chronicled their adventures, with each era casting its leading man as the noble, brave and loyal, leading musketeer.—
Eleanor Beardsley,
NPR,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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According to inside sources, Prince William wishes to establish a meaningful relationship with Mullally, knowing that the Archbishop will also preside over his future coronation and will, in fact, be his superior in the Church.—
Stefania Conrieri,
Vanity Fair,
27 Mar. 2026
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Bolstered by a vastly superior air force and hard-to-overwhelm missile defenses, Israel is more than a match for its enemies, even Iran, and will remain so for a decade or more.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In character as a free spirit who scorns social convention, Davis is all haughty tosses of the head and sneering lines.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
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Stella crossed the street and loitered outside the store window displaying haughty mannequins flaunting swagger coats.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
An assembly of planets moves through your ninth house, putting travel, expansion, and higher purpose at the center of your month.—
Kirah Tabourn,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Strus went on to enter halftime with a game-high 22 points.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The fact that anyone at the top is shocked by snaking security lines at airports is of a piece with the administration’s rather cavalier approach to contingency planning.—
Juliette Kayyem,
The Atlantic,
23 Mar. 2026
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Each crossbreed comes from a poodle bred with a cavalier King Charles spaniel, cocker spaniel, or Labrador retriever.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Bateman’s Clark is comfortably semi-famous, semi-smug and also, maybe, a decent guy.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
24 Mar. 2026
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Over Your Dead Body is not for the faint of heart, but give or take a rape threat that crosses the line into smug sadism without quite seeming to realize it, the violence lands as more comically cartoonish than horrific.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lordly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lordly. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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