marvel
Americannoun
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something that causes wonder, admiration, or astonishment; a wonderful thing; a wonder or prodigy.
The new bridge is an engineering marvel.
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Archaic. the feeling of wonder; astonishment.
verb (used with object)
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to wonder at (usually followed by a clause as object).
I marvel that you were able to succeed against such odds.
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to wonder or be curious about (usually followed by a clause as object).
A child marvels that the stars can be.
verb (used without object)
verb
noun
-
something that causes wonder
-
archaic astonishment
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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marvelsimple
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marvelssimple
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have marveledperfect
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have marvelledperfect
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has marveledperfect
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has marvelledperfect
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am marvelingprogressive
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am marvellingprogressive
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are marvelingprogressive
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are marvellingprogressive
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is marvelingprogressive
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is marvellingprogressive
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have been marvelingperfect progressive
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have been marvellingperfect progressive
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has been marvelingperfect progressive
-
has been marvellingperfect progressive
Past
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marveledsimple
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marvelledsimple
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had marveledperfect
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had marvelledperfect
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was marvelingprogressive
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was marvellingprogressive
-
were marvelingprogressive
-
were marvellingprogressive
-
had been marvelingperfect progressive
-
had been marvellingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of marvel
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English mervel, from Old French merveil(l)e, from Late Latin mīrābilia “marvels,” noun use of neuter plural of Latin mīrābilis “marvelous”; see admirable
Explanation
The Latin source of the word marvel is mirari, "to wonder at," and that's exactly what marvel means when it's a verb. You may marvel at the depth of the Grand Canyon or at the size of a piece of cake. When it entered the English language in 1300, marvel meant "miracle" –- that is, a supernatural act of divine agency (miracle actually comes from the same Latin word as marvel). By 1386, Geoffrey Chaucer was able to use the Middle English meruailles to describe more mundane astonishment. Chaucer also used marvel –- maruaylen, actually –- as a verb. In contemporary usage, the close synonym wonder is used much more often –- unless you happen to be a fan of the comic book universe created by Stan Lee. As a noun, anything that provokes wonder is a marvel.
Vocabulary lists containing marvel
Instead of "Said": Words for Upbeat Banter
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"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from all 4 Acts
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"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from Act 2
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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.
"So we want Marvel to do great. And obviously James had his start at Marvel. And so we're keeping our fingers crossed that they have a great winter."
From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026
Students practise and learn tactics in games such as Valorant, Marvel Rivals and Fortnite, but the course extends far beyond playing.
From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026
Ronaldo may still look like he belongs in a Marvel movie, but his dip in efficiency already saw him benched at the World Cup four years ago.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
In 2019, he famously criticized Marvel movies, calling them “theme parks” and “not cinema.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026
“That little balloon above the door's glowing, so go right on in. And be quick about it—you're missing Marvel Combat. First bout begins in fifteen minutes.”
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
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.
