splendid

splendid — adjective

1. extremely good or beautiful — so impressive that people notice and admire it. Fo

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

extremely good or beautiful — so impressive that people notice and admire it. For example, a splendid palace stands out because of its rich details and grand design, or a splendid achievement is one that everyone celebrates.

Example

The Devika family owns a splendid collection of old Chinese paintings.

attributive use before concrete noun (collection)

The view from Hiro's apartment is absolutely splendid at sunset.

predicative use with intensifying adverb

Common collocations
  • splendid view
  • splendid idea
  • splendid collection
  • splendid performance
  • splendid achievement
  • splendid weather
  • splendid opportunity
  • absolutely splendid
  • truly splendid
  • quite splendid
Synonyms
  • magnificent

    More formal and often suggests grand scale or rich decoration (e.g., a magnificent palace)

  • wonderful

    More common in everyday conversation; less emphasis on visual beauty

  • excellent

    Focuses on high quality or achievement rather than appearance

  • glorious

    More poetic; often used for weather, views, or historical achievements

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

splendid + noun

be + splendid

it + be + splendid + that-clause

Usage Note

Often used with intensifying adverbs like 'absolutely,' 'truly,' or 'quite.' Avoid pairing with 'very' — the word already carries a strong meaning.

Common Mistakes

The weather was very splendid today.
The weather was absolutely splendid today.
'Splendid' is a strong adjective and sounds unnatural with weak intensifiers like 'very.' Use 'absolutely' or 'truly' instead.
I had a splendidly time at the party.
I had a splendid time at the party.
'Splendidly' is an adverb; use the adjective form 'splendid' before a noun.

Word family

  • splendidly
    adverbC1
  • splendor
    nounB2
  • splendidness
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe something of very high quality, but they differ in tone and context. 'Splendid' conveys a mix of beauty and excellence, often with a touch of formality or enthusiasm. 'Magnificent' emphasizes grand scale and rich decoration — a palace or cathedral is magnificent, but a meal is not. 'Wonderful' is the most common and versatile, suitable for everyday praise (a wonderful day, a wonderful friend). 'Excellent' focuses on merit and achievement — an excellent grade or an excellent idea, without visual connotations. 'Glorious' is the most poetic, often reserved for weather (a glorious morning), victories, or historical moments. For most conversational contexts, 'wonderful' or 'excellent' sound more natural than 'splendid,' which can feel slightly old-fashioned.

magnificent ↗wonderful ↗excellent ↗glorious ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in splendid isolation
  • a splendid time

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Splendid comes from the Latin verb 'splendēre', meaning 'to shine.' It entered English through French ('splendide') in the early 1600s. The original sense of 'shining' or 'brilliant' gradually expanded to describe anything outstanding in quality, appearance, or achievement — a shift from literal brightness to figurative brilliance.