Opulence
What it means
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.
Words to choose between 7
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| warm | |
| formal | |
| literary |
|
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everyday
Fits when costly comfort and quality are central
Careful Luxury need not be visually abundant.
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warm
Fits when depth, abundance, or fine quality is meant
Careful Richness also applies to many nonmaterial qualities.
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formal
Fits when scale and dignity create the impression
Careful Grandeur can be austere rather than opulent.
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formal
lavishness
Fits when abundant expenditure or provision is the point
Careful Lavishness can imply excess or waste.
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formal
Fits when exceptional impressive beauty leads
Careful Magnificence says little about material abundance.
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literary
Fits when magnificent visual effect deserves emphasis
Careful Splendor can come from nature without wealth.
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literary
sumptuousness
Fits when rich sensory comfort suits elevated prose
Careful The term is conspicuous in ordinary description.
Opposites 3
- austerity
- poverty
- plainness
Common phrases 3
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sense of opulence
Warm light gave the modest room a sense of opulence.
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quiet opulence
Natural silk created quiet opulence without heavy ornament.
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display of opulence
The palace staircase remained a deliberate display of opulence.
Usage notes
Keep in mind
Opulence can praise sensory richness or criticize conspicuous excess; context determines the judgment.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vealhurl, Southern England accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated