LOFTY Synonyms: 297 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'lofty' contrast with its synonyms?

The words high and tall are common synonyms of lofty . While all three words mean "above the average in height," lofty suggests great or imposing altitude. // lofty mountain peaks

Q: When might 'high' be a better fit than 'lofty'?

The meanings of high and lofty largely overlap; however, high implies marked extension upward and is applied chiefly to things which rise from a base or foundation or are placed at a conspicuous height above a lower level. // a high hill // a high ceiling

Q: When can 'tall' be used instead of 'lofty'?

Although the words tall and lofty have much in common, tall applies to what grows or rises high by comparison with others of its kind and usually implies relative narrowness. // a tall thin man

lofty

adjective

ˈlȯf-tē

Definition of lofty

as in tall

extending to a great distance upward the ever-increasing lofty heights of the world's skyscrapers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in arrogant

having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude she acts all lofty and superior just because she went to an Ivy League college

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in proud

having or displaying feelings of scorn for what is regarded as beneath oneself his lofty attitude toward menial chores really rankles the other camp counselors

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in noble

having, characterized by, or arising from a dignified and generous nature remained true to the cause's lofty ideals, regardless of the changing winds of popular opinion

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in eloquent

very dignified in form, tone, or style the lofty nature of the coronation ceremony

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective lofty contrast with its synonyms?

The words high and tall are common synonyms of lofty. While all three words mean "above the average in height," lofty suggests great or imposing altitude.

lofty mountain peaks

When might high be a better fit than lofty?

The meanings of high and lofty largely overlap; however, high implies marked extension upward and is applied chiefly to things which rise from a base or foundation or are placed at a conspicuous height above a lower level.

a high hill

a high ceiling

When can tall be used instead of lofty?

Although the words tall and lofty have much in common, tall applies to what grows or rises high by comparison with others of its kind and usually implies relative narrowness.

a tall thin man

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of lofty The Dolphins would love to be able to enjoy such lofty rankings. — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2026 Now living in downtown San Jose, Davis has begun to implement some lofty goals for the San Jose museum, which is known for exhibiting works by 20th and 21st-century West Coast artists. — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 31 July 2026 Chop Robinson’s bigger, hopefully stronger Robinson, the Dolphins 2024 first-round pick, is one of Miami’s players that has lofty expectations placed on his shoulders. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026 The somewhat muddled tale of a wealthy foreigner in Italy, going feral from the pressures of maternity both lost and found, feels longer on rather lofty style than substance for some time. — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for lofty

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lofty

Adjective

Her work continued below the arc, scoring against 6-6 star Jonquel Jones and the much taller 6-11 Han Xu.

— Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026
The suspect is described as Black, age 20 to 30, about 6 feet tall with yellow eyes, a beard and facial acne or razor bumps.

— Harry Harris, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of tall

Adjective

Perhaps in the arrogant belief that a war with Iran would quickly end in a decisive victory, the Pentagon did not have cost-effective systems ready to intercept these weapons.

— Phillips Payson O’Brien, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2026
Nick Aldis’ wife Mickie James was ringside, where she was taunted by an arrogant Gunther.

— Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of arrogant

Adjective

During nine years as Manchester mayor, Burnham was praised standing up to central government on behalf of a proud, battle-scarred northern city that gave birth to the Industrial Revolution, movements for social change and a dynamic music scene.

— ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
As the Owens women reunite for Practical Magic 2, the two newest members of the onscreen family hope to do fans proud.

— Glenn Garner, Deadline, 31 July 2026

Definition of proud

Adjective

When Kent Jones was a critic at Film Comment, he was known for, among many other things, his eloquent and insightful analyses of performance.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 4 Aug. 2026
What’s far more eloquent is the episode with the witch Circe (a terrific Samantha Morton), whose habit of tricking and transforming men into animals is rendered in evocatively physical, body-horror-esque imagery.

— Alison Willmore, Vulture, 15 July 2026

Definition of eloquent

Adjective

The molecule combined the smallest molecular size among the candidates with superior electrochemical performance, delivering both fast sodium-ion transport and strong stability against degradation at the battery electrodes.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 5 Aug. 2026
What does work is largely derivative of earlier, superior seasons.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of superior

Adjective

The other great piece of news is that, yes, this will get a localized release with multiple language support, something that the original PlayStation Portable version never had.

— Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Zachary Robert Stacer, 22, was arrested on July 30 and charged with two counts of assault with intent to do great bodily harm, three counts of felonious assault and five counts of resisting and obstructing a police officer.

— Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of great

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lofts

lofty

log

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“Lofty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lofty. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of lofty

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