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
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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
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of or resembling a spectacle; impressive, grand, or dramatic
-
unusually marked or great
a spectacular increase in spending
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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spectacularismnoun
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spectacularitynoun
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nonspectacularadjective
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unspectacularadjective
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nonspectacularlyadverb
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spectacularlyadverb
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unspectacularlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
He’s a student of life as much as he is filmmaking, a humanist who forges connections with spectacular sights of the things that frighten and fascinate us the most.
From Salon • Jun. 28, 2026
From the moment the World Cup organizers announced that they were expanding the 2026 tournament from 32 to 48 teams, it looked like a spectacular own goal.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026
Another usually crowded French landmark, the spectacular Mont Saint Michel island in Normandy, urged visitors to "put off your visit during the red alert".
From Barron's • Jun. 24, 2026
For several years, stock-market leadership emanated from tech companies with spectacular earnings, low debt profiles and huge piles of cash.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 24, 2026
That spectacular leap from the middle to the top had enormous consequences.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
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.
