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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 coats likely all belonged to noble families wishing to make their marks in a religious space, according to the researchers. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2025 The goal was noble and ultimately successful, as evidenced by the fact that virtually all submissions to the FDA today are electronic. Christopher Petersen, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Noun
Caricatures mocking nobles and the clergy encouraged people to rethink their social relationships. Marjoleine Kars, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025 But these days the comparison to an English noble feels weirdly apt. Belinda Luscombe, TIME, 11 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for noble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for noble
Adjective
  • Angelica Huston stars as Lady Tressilian who hosts her favorite nephew, British tennis star Nevile Strange (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) and his new wife Kay (Mimi Keene) and ex-wife Audrey (Ella Lily Hyland) in an aristocratic estate.
    Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Emigrating is the first thing she’s ever accomplished on her own, without Spencer or her aristocratic privilege to help her (at least, not that much).
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Temu and Shein have taken steps to grow their operations in the U.S. as the de minimis loophole has come under greater scrutiny.
    Annie Palmer, CNBC, 3 Apr. 2025
  • This assignment begins with secondary and higher educational institutions taking greater strides to enrich offerings civics instruction.
    Blake D. Morant, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Nelson provided a copy of his honorable discharge, which was issued in 2011 and related to a previous term of service.
    Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2025
  • For Dan Hurley, UConn men, a painful, but honorable end to their historic era Dom Amore: For Dan Hurley, UConn men, a painful, but honorable end to their historic era Dom Amore’s Sunday Read: Will coaching carousel finally snag Dan Hurley’s assistants?
    Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 24 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Sinise called the museum magnificent — and something love overdue to recognize American heroes.
    Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Legendary head coach Rick Pitino has done a magnificent job coaching the Red Storm this campaign, as the team went 30-4 this season and is on a nine-game win streak heading into the NCAA tournament, most recently winning the Big East tournament championship over Creighton.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Embracing different cultures: There is plenty of wonderful Mexican culture depicted throughout the film, from cooking traditional dishes to the vibrant atmosphere.
    Alex Vance, Parents, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Cherish these moments and know that your efforts to preserve their voices are a wonderful tribute to your relationships.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, FOXNews.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Patrick Henry’s legacy Henry went on to have a distinguished career in Virginia state politics, including serving five one-year terms as governor.
    Cassandra Good, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025
  • The International Documentary Association is adding a quartet of distinguished members of the nonfiction film community to its board of directors.
    Matthew Carey, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Vienna welcomes its newest guests—American politicians, European aristocrats, and scandalous socialites.
    Martine Paris, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
  • The company is also a dividend aristocrat , having raised dividends for at least 25 years.
    Pia Singh, CNBC, 16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • One such incident included a Delta Air Lines jet that took off from Minneapolis and flipped over while trying to land amid high winds in Toronto.
    Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2025
  • Monday's highest risk of tornadoes covered an area from southern Alabama into Virginia, Weather.com said.
    Susan Miller, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Noble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/noble. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

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