Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

glamorous

American  
[glam-er-uhs] / ˈglæm ər əs /
Or glamourous

adjective

  1. full of glamour; charmingly or fascinatingly attractive, especially in a mysterious or magical way.

    Synonyms:
    bewitching, alluring, fascinating, beguiling
  2. full of excitement, adventure, and unusual activity.

    the glamorous job of a foreign correspondent.


glamorous British  
/ ˈɡlæmərəs /

adjective

  1. possessing glamour; alluring and fascinating

    a glamorous career

  2. beautiful and smart, esp in a showy way

    a glamorous woman

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of glamorous

First recorded in 1935–40; glamor ( def. ) + -ous

Explanation

Movie stars look glamorous when they walk down the red carpet in their designer gowns. Glamorous means full of glamour, beauty, and excitement. Glamorous comes from the Scottish gramarye meaning "magic, enchantment, spell." See a glamorous woman walking down the street and you might be captivated or enchanted by her beauty. A person can appear or act glamorous. An event like a really over-the-top party can be glamorous. Or a lifestyle that one chooses for herself can be glamorous, full of parties and swanky events.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing glamorous

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Their lives, produced and edited as they were, appeared to be stable and glamorous, and I thought, “Hm, maybe I should do that.”

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 5, 2026

But critics say there is a difference between forgiving Galliano’s words and throwing a glamorous party in his honor—which also would fall at the start of Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Yom HaShoah in Hebrew.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 2, 2026

The Venice Film Festival kicks off on the sun-splashed Lido with a bang on Wednesday, with the glamorous cinema showcase handing George Clooney a lifetime achievement award on its opening night.

From Barron's Sep. 2, 2026

Fellow singer Brandon Flowers' pivot from the glamorous indie rock 'n' roll of The Killers to Parton's own brand of country music saw him land behind Heaton at number three, with his new album Thrasher.

From BBC Aug. 28, 2026

We were, after all, Mrs. Henderson’s California grandchildren, and had been away on a glamorous trip way up North to the fabulous St. Louis.

From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training