lofty
Americanadjective
-
extending high in the air; of imposing height; towering.
lofty mountains.
- Synonyms:
- elevated
-
exalted in rank, dignity, or character; eminent.
- Antonyms:
- lowly
-
elevated in style, tone, or sentiment, as writings or speech.
- Synonyms:
- sublime
-
arrogantly or condescendingly superior in manner; haughty.
to treat someone in a lofty manner.
- Synonyms:
- supercilious
- Antonyms:
- humble
-
Nautical. noting a rig of a sailing ship having extraordinarily high masts.
-
(of fabric or yarn) thick and resilient.
adjective
-
of majestic or imposing height
-
exalted or noble in character or nature
-
haughty or supercilious
-
elevated, eminent, or superior
Synonym Usage
See high.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of lofty
Explanation
Lofty is a good word for describing something that's high above the ground, or someone who acts like she's high above everyone else. Dating from the 15th century, lofty originally meant "exalted," or spiritually high, but soon came to mean physically high as well. A towering mountain can be called "lofty." So can someone who walks around with her nose in the air and speaks in a fake English accent. Even if she's only five-foot-two.
Vocabulary lists containing lofty
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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An "August" Assortment: Words Worthy of Honor
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"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant
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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.
The study estimates that the koala population in South Australia's Mount Lofty Ranges now accounts for about 10% of all koalas in Australia.
From Science Daily • Jun. 8, 2026
Lofty borrowing costs are taking a toll on consumers, said Camila Abdelmalack, chief economist at Serasa Experian, a São Paulo-based consumer and commercial credit reporting agency.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026
Lofty multiples make the stocks susceptible to sharp reversals.
From Barron's • Dec. 12, 2025
Head of programmes at the New Women Foundation, Ms Lofty attends mediation sessions and provides safe shelters for abused women.
From BBC • Dec. 5, 2022
Lofty, glacier-covered mountains wall off the sun on the north, and on every other side the ranges are not very far away.
From The Gold Diggings of Cape Horn A Study of Life in Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia by Spears, John R.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
