superb
Americanadjective
-
admirably fine or excellent; extremely good.
a superb performance.
-
sumptuous; rich; grand.
superb jewels.
- Synonyms:
- elegant
-
of a proudly imposing appearance or kind; majestic.
superb mountain vistas.
adjective
-
surpassingly good; excellent
a superb actor
-
majestic or imposing
a superb mansion
-
magnificently rich; luxurious
the jubilee was celebrated with a superb banquet
Synonym Usage
See magnificent.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of superb
First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin superbus “proud, superior, excellent,” equivalent to super- super- + -bus adjectival suffix (akin to be )
Explanation
The movie far surpassed expectations. It was superb. That 5-star hotel? Also superb. Anything that goes beyond being great can be called superb. Start by noticing that superb contains super, and you're more than halfway to remembering its meaning. The only real difference between super and superb (besides the letter "b") is that something superb is surprisingly or especially excellent. A taco that tastes great might be super. But if it's among the very best tacos you've ever eaten, it's superb. Dinner tonight? Super! How was dinner? It was superb!
Vocabulary lists containing superb
Thumbs Up: Synonyms for "Good"
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A Single Shard
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"Frederick Douglass"
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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.
His right arm is unquestionably superb, but does Justin Herbert have two left feet?
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026
“It has a superb material there that is of consequence to this county and to all of Southern California,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
His superb book is marred only by the occasional slip.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
Great Britain's Zoe Backstedt produced a superb ride to claim silver in the women's time trial at the UCI World Road Championships in Montreal.
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
With superb balance, he walked step by step along the string until he reached the cake.
From "The Witches" by Roald Dahl
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.
