dignified
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of dignified
Explanation
Dignified means self-respecting and worthy. If you want to have a dignified memorial service, skip the karaoke machine and instead softly play the favorite music of the person you're remembering. Something that has dignity is honorable and worthy, so something that is dignified acts in an honorable, worthy way, showing great self-respect and respect for others. If someone handles a terrible public embarrassment gracefully and without breaking down, we might compliment her dignified manner. You might be too dignified to engage in screaming at the wrestling match, or too dignified to beg for a job even in hard times.
Vocabulary lists containing dignified
An "August" Assortment: Words Worthy of Honor
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"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
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"The Diary of Anne Frank," Vocabulary from the drama
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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.
He added: "Henry's family have responded to this in just the most extraordinarily dignified way. But I suggest the rest of us respond to this with pure, cold rage."
From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026
In a phone call with the Emir of Qatar, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran was ready to achieve a "dignified framework" to end the war, according to state news agency IRNA.
From Barron's • May 30, 2026
Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander are wonderful surprises in the movie as some rather dignified aliens.
From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026
As the CEO of a healthcare company, I’m usually a dignified guy.
From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026
A different-tinted ink identified each year: 1956 was green and 1957 a ribbon of red, replaced the following year by bright lavender, and now, in 1959, she had decided upon a dignified blue.
From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote
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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.