spectacular

spectacular — adjective

1. describes a view, scene, or display that is extremely beautiful, grand, or strik

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

describes a view, scene, or display that is extremely beautiful, grand, or striking — the kind of sight that makes people stop and stare in amazement.

Example

Minho pointed at the spectacular rainbow that appeared after the heavy rain.

spectacular + concrete noun (rainbow)

From the plane, the sunset over the desert looked truly spectacular.

link verb + spectacular (predicative)

Common collocations
  • spectacular view
  • spectacular scenery
  • spectacular display
  • spectacular sight
  • spectacular sunset
  • spectacular waterfall
Synonyms
  • stunning

    even stronger emotional impact, often suggesting surprise or shock at the beauty

  • breathtaking

    emphasises the viewer's emotional reaction of being overwhelmed

  • magnificent

    suggests a dignified, stately kind of beauty (often for architecture or large landscapes)

  • impressive

    more general; can describe skill, size, or quality in addition to appearance

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

spectacular + noun

be/look/seem + spectacular

Usage Note

Attributive use (before a noun) is very common: a spectacular view, spectacular scenery. Predicative use (after be, look, seem) is also frequent.

2. extremely good, great, or noticeable in a way that is not tied to visual appeara

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

extremely good, great, or noticeable in a way that is not tied to visual appearance — used for achievements, results, changes, failures, or other non-visual qualities.

Example

The company reported a spectacular increase in profits during the first year.

spectacular + abstract noun (increase)

Salma made a spectacular recovery after breaking her leg in the accident.

collocation: spectacular recovery

Common collocations
  • spectacular success
  • spectacular failure
  • spectacular recovery
  • spectacular results
  • spectacular improvement
  • spectacular growth
Synonyms
  • remarkable

    less dramatic; simply means worthy of attention

  • outstanding

    formal; suggests quality clearly above average

  • striking

    draws attention because it is unusual or very noticeable

  • dramatic

    emphasises change or contrast, often used with increase or improvement

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

spectacular + abstract noun

be + spectacular

Usage Note

This sense typically modifies abstract nouns such as success, failure, recovery, increase, improvement, result, or performance. It is very common in news, business, and sports contexts. Do not use this sense for visual descriptions — that is sense 1.

Common Mistakes

The mountain view was spectacular' (when talking about a visual scene).
The mountain view was spectacular
correct for sense 1, but if the intended meaning is 'very successful/accomplished', use sense 1's meaning instead.

spectacular — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe things that produce a strong positive reaction, but they highlight different qualities. Spectacular emphasises scale and visual grandeur — the feeling of watching a show or a vast scene, like a canyon or a firework display. Stunning suggests a beauty so intense it shocks you momentarily, as if you were hit by it. Breathtaking focuses on the viewer's emotional response — the sight takes your breath away. Magnificent implies a dignified, stately kind of beauty, typical of palaces, cathedrals, or formal gardens. Impressive is the most general and can apply to skill, size, or effort as well as appearance. For example: the Grand Canyon is spectacular (vast and theatrical), a perfectly cut diamond might be stunning (surprising in its beauty), a cathedral interior is magnificent (rich and dignified), and a student's exam result could be impressive (showing great ability).

spectacular ↗stunning ↗breathtaking ↗magnificent ↗impressive ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • absolutely spectacular
  • truly spectacular
  • quite spectacular

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Comes from the Latin noun spectaculum meaning 'a show' or 'a sight', based on the verb spectare meaning 'to watch' or 'to look at'. The word travelled into English through French spectaculaire. From the start it carried the idea of something designed to be watched and admired — a visual display intended to impress.