splendid
Americanadjective
-
gorgeous; magnificent; sumptuous.
- Antonyms:
- squalid
-
grand; superb, as beauty.
- Synonyms:
- first-rate, elegant, majestic
-
distinguished or glorious, as a name, reputation, victory, etc.
- Synonyms:
- noble, brilliant, remarkable, celebrated, conspicuous, eminent, illustrious, famous, famed, renowned
- Antonyms:
- ignoble, mediocre, unremarkable, ordinary
-
strikingly admirable or fine.
splendid talents.
-
excellent, fine, or very good.
to have a splendid time.
-
brilliant in appearance, color, etc.
adjective
-
brilliant or fine, esp in appearance
-
characterized by magnificence; imposing
-
glorious or illustrious
a splendid reputation
-
brightly gleaming; radiant
her splendid face
splendid colours
-
very good or satisfactory
a splendid time
Synonym Usage
See magnificent ( def. ).
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of splendid
First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin splendidus “brilliant,” equivalent to splend(ēre) “to shine” + -idus adjective suffix; see -id 4
Explanation
Looking truly magnificent today? Then someone (probably British) might stop you to say "Wow! You look splendid, darling!" Thanks the person, because splendid means glorious, fabulous, wonderful, and/or splendiferous. Use the adjective splendid to describe something of the highest quality. If you're so lucky as to have someone buy you, say, a Harry Winston diamond, splendid! But splendid doesn't apply only to expensive items such as jewelry, clothing, or art. You can also have a splendid idea, morning walk, or encounter with an old friend. For some, using Splenda in their coffee instead of sugar is, for them, well, splendid!
Vocabulary lists containing splendid
"Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" by Rudyard Kipling
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Call of Beauty: Synonyms for "Beautiful"
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Thumbs Up: Synonyms for "Good"
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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.
As described in splendid detail by Ashley Kahn in “Days of Miracle and Wonder,” the next 1½ years see a total reinvention of Mr. Simon’s way of writing and recording songs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
He was a splendid biographer of the man he described in another book as “the master.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Ward sat seventh after the floor exercise, but streaked into the lead after a splendid performance on the pommel - routinely his strongest event.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Supporting all manner of work is always the best way of preserving and celebrating the splendid diversity of filmmaking.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Was she thinking of Paris as she sat in her husband’s splendid hall?
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
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.
