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splendid

American  
[splen-did] / ˈsplɛn dɪd /

adjective

  1. gorgeous; magnificent; sumptuous.

    Synonyms:
    imposing, luxurious
    Antonyms:
    squalid
  2. grand; superb, as beauty.

    Synonyms:
    first-rate, elegant, majestic
  3. 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
  4. strikingly admirable or fine.

    splendid talents.

    Antonyms:
    poor, modest
  5. excellent, fine, or very good.

    to have a splendid time.

  6. brilliant in appearance, color, etc.

    Antonyms:
    drab, dull

splendid British  
/ ˈsplɛndɪd /

adjective

  1. brilliant or fine, esp in appearance

  2. characterized by magnificence; imposing

  3. glorious or illustrious

    a splendid reputation

  4. brightly gleaming; radiant

    her splendid face

    splendid colours

  5. very good or satisfactory

    a splendid time

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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!

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Vocabulary lists containing splendid

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:

You can see how quickly this becomes a splendid spread without requiring much actual cooking.

From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026

And the country sure does look splendid through the windows of brand new cars, upscale hotels and expensive ski resorts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

Grandma summons Sybylla to her splendid Caddagat specifically to find a husband.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 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

Finally Oeneus called for help upon the bravest men of Greece, and a splendid band of young heroes assembled, many of whom sailed later on the Argo.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

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