lofty
Americanadjective
-
loftier,
comparative
-
loftiest
superlative
-
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
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
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
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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.
See Examples For:
I don’t mean to discourage lofty goals, but we’ve been let down time after time, feeding cynicism.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2026
But since the start of 2026, that dynamic has been flipped on its head, as investors have become increasingly unwilling to pay up for the lofty earnings growth that Wall Street analysts are expecting.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 1, 2026
For a team that were playing second-tier football 18 months ago, their lofty ambitions of qualifying for the Champions League suddenly don't seem farfetched.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026
The company reported its fourth consecutive quarter of record earnings, though the results fell short of lofty expectations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
Some criticized her for joining the lofty cause of temperance with what they considered to be vulgar appeals for women’s rights.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
If Mamdani has so far shown a pragmatic streak in how he governs that can feel at odds with the loftier promises of his campaign, some friction with his most hard-line voters might be inevitable.
From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026
They may reach arguably loftier artistic heights with “Revolver,” “Sgt. Pepper,” “The White Album,” or “Abbey Road” — take your pick — but “Rubber Soul” embodies the group’s decisive turn towards self-conscious greatness.
From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026
Alonso arrives with the loftier title of manager, which insiders say is not insignificant, though he will still have to work with the five-strong sporting director team on recruiting players.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
In fact, allowing yourself to spend money on hobbies or experiences can actually help you stay on track to accomplish your bigger, loftier goals.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 27, 2026
They came at last into a hall larger and loftier than any they had yet seen.
From "The Magician's Nephew" by C. S. Lewis
The course has since expanded to a rotating cast of Harvard’s loftiest faculty members, each of whom lead two lectures and a weekly seminar.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
US gross domestic product in the third quarter came in at 4.3 percent on an annualized basis, easily topping expectations and the loftiest growth in two years.
From Barron's ● Dec. 23, 2025
Ascending to football's loftiest heights challenges the senses, and Girona's surefootenedness at this level is already being rigorously tested.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2024
But the loftiest expectations, from the start, came from former world-class players Charlie Pasarell and Raymond Moore.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 3, 2024
They were all three of the loftiest stature of women.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
