spectacular
Americanadjective
-
of or like a spectacle; marked by or given to an impressive, large-scale display.
-
dramatically daring or thrilling.
a spectacular dive from a cliff.
- Synonyms:
- breathtaking, dramatic, hair-raising
noun
-
a single television production featuring well-known performers and characterized by elaborate sets, costumes, staging, etc.
-
an impressive, large-scale display.
another Hollywood spectacular.
adjective
-
of or resembling a spectacle; impressive, grand, or dramatic
-
unusually marked or great
a spectacular increase in spending
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of spectacular
First recorded in 1675–85; from Latin spectācul(um) ( see spectacle) + -ar 1
Explanation
Spectacular is both a noun and an adjective. The noun spectacular refers to a big, beautiful production, like a play or musical performance that has a huge cast and many dance numbers. As an adjective, spectacular has the same quality of being over-the-top, like a spectacular restaurant with excellent food, celebrities at all the table and a gigantic waterfall along one wall. If something is spectacular, it seems like a rare feat, a real stop-and-stare moment. That's why it can also be associated with drama, or making a spectacle or scene, like a spectacular argument you witness out on the street.
Vocabulary lists containing spectacular
"One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia, List 1
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Workshop 3, Part 2
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Wow! Synonyms for "Amazing"
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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.
DoorDash’s second-quarter guidance also wasn’t spectacular relative to expectations.
From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026
The country's leaders leveraged that strength in spectacular fashion last year, reaching a deal with Washington in October to pause a blistering trade war after Beijing's curbs on their exports sent shockwaves across supply chains.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
With his gray-and-white mane sleekly accentuating his black and lavender ensemble, he struts with an eminence that had me picturing Eartha Kitt in a Bob Fosse spectacular.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
The painter Frederic Edwin Church would make detailed sketches of plants that might appear in his spectacular, worshipful paintings of the wilderness.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
“Now imagine one coming down to fly right next to you to show you the next spectacular thing that’s going to come into your life.”
From "Okay for Now" by Gary D. Schmidt
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.
