Opulence

Rich beauty, comfort, and impressive abundance.

Reach for it when naming impressive abundance of luxury, richness, or ornament

Warm lighting gave the modest dining room a sense of opulence.

• everyday

  luxury

  costly comfort and quality are central

  not when Luxury need not be visually abundant.

• warm

  richness

  depth, abundance, or fine quality is meant

  not when Richness also applies to many nonmaterial qualities.

• formal

  grandeur

  scale and dignity create the impression

  not when Grandeur can be austere rather than opulent.

• formal

  lavishness

  abundant expenditure or provision is the point

  not when Lavishness can imply excess or waste.

• formal

  magnificence

  exceptional impressive beauty leads

  not when Magnificence says little about material abundance.

• literary

  splendor

  magnificent visual effect deserves emphasis

  not when Splendor can come from nature without wealth.

• literary

  sumptuousness

  rich sensory comfort suits elevated prose

  not when The term is conspicuous in ordinary description.

• austerity
• poverty
• plainness

• sense of opulence

  Warm light gave the modest room a sense of opulence.

• quiet opulence

  Natural silk created quiet opulence without heavy ornament.

• display of opulence

  The palace staircase remained a deliberate display of opulence.

Opulence can praise sensory richness or criticize conspicuous excess; context determines the judgment.