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.
St. Louis might not have been handed a chance to test his coaching chops in the NHL so soon if Montreal hadn’t imploded in such spectacular fashion.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
Tourists and Parisians goggled at the sight of the French capital's oldest bridge transformed into a giant "cave" on Thursday, a spectacular new public work by the street artist JR.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
Three consecutive second-placed finishes contributed to a nervy title run-in - but the outpouring of emotion at making it fourth time lucky made for spectacular scenes.
From BBC • May 20, 2026
Meanwhile, if Nvidia does announce an increased buyback program, Wagner said, that will signal to the market that its “AI dominance is translating into spectacular liquidity.”
From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026
I thought a spectacular change would come over me the day I crossed the boundary line.
From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath
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.
