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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective stately differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of stately are grandiose, grand, imposing, magnificent, and majestic. While all these words mean "large and impressive," stately may suggest poised dignity, erectness of bearing, handsomeness of proportions, ceremonious deliberation of movement.

the stately procession

When can grand be used instead of stately?

Although the words grand and stately have much in common, grand adds to greatness of size the implications of handsomeness and dignity.

a grand staircase

Where would grandiose be a reasonable alternative to stately?

The synonyms grandiose and stately are sometimes interchangeable, but grandiose implies a size or scope exceeding ordinary experience, but is most commonly applied derogatorily to inflated pretension or absurd exaggeration.

grandiose hydroelectric projects
grandiose schemes

When would imposing be a good substitute for stately?

The words imposing and stately are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, imposing implies great size and dignity but especially stresses impressiveness.

an imposing edifice

When is it sensible to use magnificent instead of stately?

While in some cases nearly identical to stately, magnificent implies an impressive largeness proportionate to scale without sacrifice of dignity or good taste.

magnificent paintings

How is majestic related to other words for stately?

Majestic combines the implications of imposing and stately and usually adds a suggestion of solemn grandeur.

a majestic waterfall

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 stately Believed to be about 200 years old, the stately tree rose out of a dip in the craggy landscape of Northumberland, England. Lauren Frayer, NPR, 9 May 2025 This contrast of being tucked away while also showcasing such stately detail is what makes Hotel The Mitsui such a draw. Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 8 May 2025 The archive is located inside the stately Palazzo Settimanni on via delle Caldaie, in the heart of the Tuscan city, in the Oltrarno district long associated with artistry and craftsmanship. Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 8 May 2025 Tour Noz Nozawa brings joy and comfort to a stately and historical California home Photography by Brittany AmbridgeStyled by Mister Lee Designs May 7, 2025 All products featured on Architectural Digest are independently selected by our editors. Kerry Pieri, Architectural Digest, 7 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for stately
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stately
Adjective
  • The far more imposing limit is MLS’s global standing.
    Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 8 Feb. 2025
  • And on the other hand, in a world where most of their top arms remain healthy and effective, the Dodgers could possess one of the most imposing starting pitching staffs in recent memory.
    Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • This is graceful, quietly intelligent filmmaking—including a touch of unsentimental magic realism involving a wise and beautiful Norwegian Forest Cat.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 23 May 2025
  • Marked by a graceful melancholia and filled with daunting technical feats, especially the director’s signature, logistics-defying long takes, his films are beautifully realized meditations on nostalgia and loss in which the cinema tends to be a character itself.
    Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 23 May 2025
Adjective
  • In one of his only performances as an ostensibly normal guy, Cruise brings magnificent dirtbag energy to War of the Worlds' Ray, a working-class deadbeat dad whose one weekend with his kids (Dakota Fanning and Justin Chatwin) overlaps with an alien invasion.
    Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 24 May 2025
  • Heart rate rises, breath softens, and eyes glue to this magnificent 500-pound mammal that could rip me to pieces with the simple swipe of its striped paw.
    Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 23 May 2025
Adjective
  • Expect a three- to four-hour trek of moderate difficulty, but the majestic views of the rocky coastline from the top are worth the trip. Visit Jardin de L’Albarda.
    Liz Provencher, Travel + Leisure, 20 May 2025
  • In a place as old and majestic as Rome, even the mundane can contain fascinating remnants of history.
    Ari Daniel, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 May 2025
Adjective
  • Old Midleton Distillery, with its elegant stone facade, was originally a woolen mill in the late 18th century.
    Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
  • This elegant tiered fountain, just minutes off U.S. Highway 17, draws visitors year-round with its photogenic charm and quiet appeal.
    Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 24 May 2025
Adjective
  • The wedding went off without a hitch, a glorious event on a glorious August day.
    Lian Dolan, People.com, 20 May 2025
  • This title is up for grabs in the most glorious of ways.
    Sam Amick, New York Times, 19 May 2025
Adjective
  • Ramsay is a filmmaker of undeniable formal wizardry and a fearless explorer of psychological rupture.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 20 May 2025
  • Robinhood submitted a formal 42-page proposal to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requesting the creation of a federal regulatory framework for the issuance and trading of tokenized RWAs.
    Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Adjective
  • The handsome and charismatic Lord Edward Fitzgerald, an Anglican son of a duke, renounced his title and commanded the society’s militia.
    Joseph Patrick Kelly, The Conversation, 20 May 2025
  • Ian had been handsome, popular, in love with a new girlfriend—the kind of golden boy upon whom fortune smiles.
    Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 16 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Stately.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stately. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

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