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
-
spectaculars
plural
-
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
Derived Forms
-
spectacularismnoun
-
spectacularitynoun
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nonspectacularadjective
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unspectacularadjective
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nonspectacularlyadverb
-
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.
See Examples For:
He also returned a punt 46 yards and made a spectacular catch.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
Here are seven celebrities who have taken luxury real estate to the extreme, with spectacular island purchases around the world.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
Itauma showed that many of the qualities which looked spectacular against lesser opposition still worked against a genuine world-level heavyweight.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
Every college football coach in the country spent last season with their jaws on the floor as they watched Indiana go from spectacular irrelevance to undefeated dominance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
She couldn’t blame them; the dress was spectacular.
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
The documents describe how once inside the resort guests will experience "adrenaline-pumping coasters", "mind-blowing spectaculars" and will "come face-to-face with incredible creatures, heroes, and villains".
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2025
Elton John — he of the bedazzled spectacles and dazzling spectaculars — has been “quietly” spending his summer recovering from a “severe eye infection” that has affected his vision.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2024
In recent years, White was beloved by a generation of people who’ve never experienced broadcast television — or experienced it only through one-off spectaculars such the Super Bowl.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 1, 2022
The parades, fireworks, and nighttime spectaculars that are typical of the Disney park experience are still suspended.
From New York Times ● Apr. 29, 2021
It is an hour before midnight when we reach one of the two greatest spectaculars of our whole six months' journeying,—the Ramparts.
From The New North by Agnes Deans Cameron
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.
