Meaning & use
splendor
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Meanings
noununcountable
Impressive beauty and richness of appearance, especially in a grand place or display.
Grammar: Usually uncountable: the splendor of the palace; no article is used when speaking generally.
Patterns
- the splendor of something
- in all its splendor
Tourists stared at the splendor of the palace halls.
The mountains stood in all their splendor under the morning sun.
The wedding was celebrated with great splendor.
nounusually plural
A particular grand or magnificent feature, often mentioned in the plural.
Grammar: Often plural when naming sights: the splendors of Rome.
Patterns
- the splendors of something
The guide described the splendors of ancient Egypt.
Visitors come to enjoy the splendors of the region.
Word forms
| plural | splendors |
|---|
Common combinations
- former splendor
- The old theater still shows traces of its former splendor.
- royal splendor
- The coronation was held with royal splendor.
- natural splendor
- The park is known for its natural splendor.
- in all its splendor
- The cathedral gleamed in all its splendor.
- faded splendor
- The hotel has an air of faded splendor.
- architectural splendor
- Visitors admire the architectural splendor of the old city.
Synonyms and how they differ
- magnificence
- Magnificence stresses greatness and grandeur of scale, while splendor puts more weight on dazzling richness of look.
- grandeur
- Grandeur suggests impressive size and dignity and works for things that are solemn rather than colorful.
- glory
- Glory often adds a sense of honor or praise, as in past glory, while splendor is about appearance.
- pomp
- Pomp is ceremonial display and can sound disapproving when it feels excessive.
Opposites
Word family
- splendid adjective
- very impressive or excellent
- splendidly adverb
- in a very fine way
- resplendent adjective
- shining brilliantly, richly decorated
- splendiferous adjective
- humorous, meaning splendid
Commonly confused: splendor or splendour?
splendor vs splendour
Splendour is the British spelling of the same word. Use splendor in American English.
Practice
The abandoned hotel still hinted at its former ___.
Choose one answer.
Splendor means grand beauty, which fits 'former' and a hotel in decline. The others look similar but do not make sense here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “splendor”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.