magnificent
gb/mæɡnˈɪfɪsənt/ us/mæɡnˈɪfɪsənt/
B2
English
~ 9700
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
very impressive or beautiful
Very beautiful or very large and special, so that it makes you feel strong respect or wonder.
Usage pattern:
a magnificent [building/view/performance]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "big" instead of "magnificent" when they mean impressive and beautiful. "Big" only shows size, while "magnificent" adds the idea of beauty and causing admiration. Another mistake is using it with negative things (e.g., "a magnificent problem"), which sounds wrong; it is almost always positive.
Synonyms
majestic (Suggests grand, king-like beauty, often for nature or buildings.)
|
splendid (Very close in meaning, slightly more old-fashioned or enthusiastic.)
|
grand (Focuses on large scale and importance, not always on beauty.)
Antonyms
ugly (Direct opposite in terms of beauty and pleasant appearance.)
|
ordinary (Lacks the special, impressive quality that makes something magnificent.)
Collocations
magnificent view
|magnificent building
|magnificent palace
|magnificent cathedral
|magnificent landscape
|magnificent performance
Themes
evaluation
|appearance
|art
|travel
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- From the balcony we had a magnificent view of the snow-covered mountains.
- The museum is inside a magnificent 18th‑century palace.
- The opera house is a magnificent building with a huge crystal chandelier.
- We watched a magnificent performance by the young violinist.
- The castle stood alone on the hill, dark and magnificent against the evening sky.
Learner examples
- We saw a magnificent castle on the hill.
- The hotel has a magnificent view of the sea.
- They live in a small house, but the garden is magnificent in summer.
- The city is famous for its magnificent old church.
- The artist painted a magnificent picture of the sunset.
adjective
B2
property
2
extremely good or excellent
Very very good; excellent in a way that makes people want to praise it.
Usage pattern:
a magnificent [job/effort/idea/result]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "magnificent" can be used for anything big or expensive, even if it is not good (for example, "a magnificent mistake"). In this sense it should only describe things that are very good and praiseworthy. They may also overuse it where a simple "good" or "very good" sounds more natural in casual speech.
Synonyms
excellent (The most common neutral word for very good; slightly less emotional than "magnificent".)
|
outstanding (Stresses being clearly better than others; often used in evaluations.)
|
superb (Very similar in strength and formality, but slightly more common in everyday speech.)
Antonyms
poor (General opposite in terms of quality or performance.)
|
terrible (Very bad in quality, strongly negative where "magnificent" is strongly positive.)
Collocations
magnificent job
|magnificent effort
|magnificent idea
|magnificent victory
|magnificent achievement
Themes
evaluation
|work
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- You did a absolutely magnificent job on this report.
- Her leadership during the crisis was truly magnificent.
- The team produced a magnificent performance in the final and won 3–0.
- That was a magnificent idea; it saved us a lot of time.
- He made a magnificent effort to finish the project before the deadline.
Learner examples
- You did a magnificent job on the project.
- The team played a magnificent game and won.
- Thank you for your magnificent help today.
- Her speech was short but magnificent.
- It was a magnificent idea to start early.
adjective
formal
C1
property
3
very generous or lavish
Very generous, giving a lot of money, gifts, or help in a rich and impressive way.
Usage pattern:
a magnificent [gift/gesture/feast]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this meaning with simply "very big" or "very beautiful." In this sense, "magnificent" must involve generous giving or rich hospitality, not just size or appearance.
Synonyms
lavish (Stresses spending or giving a lot, sometimes more than necessary.)
|
generous (Focuses on willingness to give; not always as rich or impressive as "magnificent".)
Antonyms
stingy (Unwilling to give or spend money; the opposite of generous and lavish.)
|
meager (Very small or poor in amount, the opposite of rich and abundant giving.)
Collocations
magnificent gift
|magnificent gesture
|magnificent feast
|magnificent hospitality
Themes
money
|social
|emotions
|daily_life
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- They gave a magnificent donation to the hospital, which paid for new equipment.
- The couple hosted a magnificent feast for all their friends and neighbors.
- It was a magnificent gesture to cover the costs for every student on the trip.
- Her father made a magnificent offer to pay for their education.
- The charity thanked them for their magnificent support over many years.
Learner examples
- They gave a magnificent gift to the school.
- The family offered magnificent help after the flood.
- Our hosts prepared a magnificent dinner for us.
- Her uncle made a magnificent donation to the hospital.
- The company showed magnificent support for the project.
Grammar
Dictionary form
magnificent
IPA
GB/mæɡnˈɪfɪsənt/
US/mæɡnˈɪfɪsənt/
Syllables & stress
mag - ni - fi - cent (4 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ni)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: magnificent
Word family
Core family
magnificence
noun C1
magnificently
adverb
Related words
magnify
verb B2
magnification
noun
Negative and opposite forms
unimpressive
adjective
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.