awe-inspiring
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of awe-inspiring
First recorded in 1805–15
Explanation
When something is so astonishing or magnificent that you can hardly speak, it's awe-inspiring. You dream might be to travel to Arizona to see the awe-inspiring sight of the Grand Canyon. What's awe-inspiring is in the eye of the beholder — in other words, your first visit to New York may provide one awe-inspiring sight after another, from the towering skyscrapers to the Statue of Liberty. Someone born and raised there might be unimpressed, finding the rugged coast of Maine to be far more awe-inspiring. If something inspires a feeling of awe in you (a sense of overwhelming wonder), it's awe-inspiring.
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 director’s trademarks haven’t been this thrilling in years, with Janusz Kamiński’s camera doing tricks that rival his most awe-inspiring work, and John Williams’ score ratcheting the tension in chase scenes and action sequences.
From Salon • Jun. 13, 2026
Yet even in an area where luxury abounds and size really does matter, the Fosters’ property stands out as a true gem, thanks to the awe-inspiring features that are found inside and out.
From MarketWatch • May 21, 2026
Grantham describes it as “a fast-moving and awe-inspiring invention that seems highly consequential—even worldchanging—to almost everybody, myself included.”
From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026
The capital is awe-inspiring thanks to Pierre Charles L’Enfant’s 1791 master plan, perfected by the 1901-02 McMillan Plan creating the National Mall and monumental core as we know them.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 20, 2026
Thinking about Reyna making that journey alone—he couldn’t decide whether it was terrifying or awe-inspiring.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
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.
