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
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something that causes wonder
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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
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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
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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.
Singer-songwriter Charlie Puth has sold an ultramodern “sculptural” residence in Studio City for $2.1 million—less than a year after putting the architectural marvel on the market.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
Singer-songwriter Charlie Puth has offloaded an ultramodern “sculptural” residence in Studio City for $2.1 million—less than a year after putting the architectural marvel on the market.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026
Next-generation fighters, multibillion-dollar carriers and so much more mean that although each is a marvel, we have too few, and they’re too hard to replace, making them too valuable to risk.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
Maybe some choose to marvel at this one-in-a-lifetime behemoth stuck in our midst and ignore the stink.
From Salon • May 14, 2026
It loomed over us as precariously as the Tower of Babel, a marvel of glass and steel.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
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.
