grandeur

noun

gran·​deur ˈgran-jər 

-ˌju̇r, 

-ˌd(y)u̇r, 

-d(y)ər

1

: the quality or state of being grand : magnificence

… the glory that was Greece and the grandeur that was Rome.

—Edgar Allan Poe

2

: an instance or example of grandeur

visited the awesome grandeurs of the American West

Synonyms of grandeur

• majesty
• brilliance
• elegance
• glory
• nobility
• magnificence

Examples of grandeur in a Sentence

His paintings capture the beauty and grandeur of the landscape.

They are restoring the hotel to its original grandeur.

Recent Examples on the Web

Their grandeur and immensity manage to surprise us even in an age when humans are building larger and larger things. —Jessica Camille Aguirre, New Yorker, 2 May 2026

Flank a small entrance with tall planters to create a sense of grandeur, or to draw the eye upward toward the door to balance a steep set of stairs. —Kristin Hohenadel, The Spruce, 2 May 2026

Her voice continues to echo in Norah Jones’s breathy understatement, Tracy Chapman’s acoustic urgency and the way Alicia Keys attaches grandeur to a single piano chord. —New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026

The spa Compared to the grandeur of the rest of the property, the on-site spa is comparatively scaled-back. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, from Old French, from grand

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for grandeur

• amour
• auteur
• hauteur
• velour
• verdure
• voyeur
• doer
• poor
• poore
• raconteur

Kids Definition

grandeur

noun

gran·​deur ˈgran-jər 

1

: the quality or state of being grand : awe-inspiring magnificence

2

: something that is grand