C1adjective2K

Glorious

UK /["/ˈɡlɔːriəs/"]/US /["/ˈɡlɔːriəs/"]/

Definition

deserving or bringing great success and making somebody/something famous

In simple words: Very beautiful or wonderful.

Examples

  • We congratulate you on this glorious victory.
  • This is a glorious chapter in our country's history.
  • The film looks back at Spain’s glorious past.
  • We sat on the beach and gazed at the glorious sunset.
  • Both her daughters have glorious red hair.
  • From the bedrooms there are glorious views of the coast.
  • He watched the glorious hair cascade around her.
  • the glorious reds and browns of autumn
  • They had three weeks of glorious sunshine.
  • a glorious trip to Rome

Usage notes

Use 'glorious' to describe something that is impressively beautiful or pleasing. It's appropriate in both spoken and written contexts, but leans towards more positive or formal descriptions.

Grammar pattern

standalone adjective

Memory hint

Think of 'glory' — something so bright it shines like a star!

Collocations

  • glorious sunshine
  • glorious victory
  • glorious moment
  • glorious day
  • glorious beauty

Synonyms

  • splendid
  • wonderful

Antonyms

  • dismal
  • ordinary
  • tragic

Common mistakes

  • Confused with 'glory' which is a noun.
  • Using it in negative contexts, like 'glorious failure'.
  • Overusing in casual conversation where simpler words like 'great' or 'nice' are more suitable.