noble 1 of 2

1
2
3
4
5
6

noble

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective noble differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of noble are ethical, moral, righteous, and virtuous. While all these words mean "conforming to a standard of what is right and good," noble implies moral eminence and freedom from anything petty, mean, or dubious in conduct and character.

had the noblest of reasons for seeking office

When might ethical be a better fit than noble?

The synonyms ethical and noble are sometimes interchangeable, but ethical may suggest the involvement of more difficult or subtle questions of rightness, fairness, or equity.

committed to the highest ethical principles

Where would moral be a reasonable alternative to noble?

While the synonyms moral and noble are close in meaning, moral implies conformity to established sanctioned codes or accepted notions of right and wrong.

the basic moral values of a community

When can righteous be used instead of noble?

Although the words righteous and noble have much in common, righteous stresses guiltlessness or blamelessness and often suggests the sanctimonious.

wished to be righteous before God and the world

When could virtuous be used to replace noble?

The words virtuous and noble can be used in similar contexts, but virtuous implies moral excellence in character.

not a religious person, but virtuous nevertheless

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of noble
Adjective
The overarching storyline for Battletech is the struggle between the noble houses born from the Succession Wars and the returning exiles of the Clans. Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025 Newer companies promising noble causes, in contrast, are not tarnished—or less tarnished, at least—which also appeals to idealistic young workers. Dave Smith, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
Landscape paintings and portraits of nobles jostled for attention alongside historical paintings and imagined scenes from Shakespeare’s plays. Literary Hub, 17 July 2025 However, to prevent the glass furnaces from causing fires, the nobles exiled the glassmakers – under penalty of death – to the island of Murano. Peter Mullner, The Conversation, 3 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for noble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for noble
Adjective
  • When Coverley and the girls returned to England, in 1969, Lucian arranged for Bella to spend time with some aristocratic hippies who travelled around southern England in caravans.
    Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
  • While its aristocratic history may be a thing of the past, the hotel (along with its grounds) does still exude the stately, elegant aura of a noble mansion.
    Erica Wertheim Zohar, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Yet his work does demand greater attention.
    Mark Holgate, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Europe staged one of the greatest comebacks in Ryder Cup history, winning eight matches and halving another to clinch the Cup by half a point.
    Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • That would be the honest, fair and honorable thing to do.
    U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2025
  • This reversal deeply disrespects every honorable soldier who's had our Stars and Stripes draped over their casket as Taps play in the background.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • All of them have been magnificent.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2025
  • All of them have been magnificent.
    Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • But if Julia’s delivery of her first child is about as wonderful as pushing a human out of your body can get — even the lighting is dreamy — her second child’s delivery is the exact opposite.
    Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Morticia has this wonderful lighter look into the world as opposed to Wednesday.
    Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Following compilation, our expert panel of distinguished cloud industry veterans conducts the evaluation and ranking process, with these leaders also empowered to suggest additional companies for consideration.
    Bessemer Venture Partners, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Meanwhile, distinguished Russian navy crew members assigned to the Yasen-M-class cruise missile submarine Krasnoyarsk were awarded medals and promoted to higher military ranks.
    Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Sian Clifford gives a larger-than-life performance as a narcissistic aristocrat who hires a struggling filmmaker to record her every move, in Samuel Abraham’s eccentric mockumentary.
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Originally an aristocrat’s villa from the turn of the 20th century—now transformed thoughtfully into a boutique hotel—Mirlo is an oasis away from the noise of the city, yet still just a 15-minute taxi from the center.
    Zoe Dubno, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • However, the AmCham Shanghai survey found 14% of the respondents reported the environment for foreign businesses in China was worsening, with the tech sector seeing the highest challenges at 31% of industry respondents.
    Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
  • If you are trapped by moving water, move to the highest possible point and call 911 if possible.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Noble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/noble. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on noble

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!