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 government had announced on Sunday the lofty goal of retaking all Houthi territory — home to most of Yemen's population, and much of it held for more than a decade. — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 5 Oct. 2026 The CloudFluff Comforter wraps you in super-soft knitted cotton that breathes and stretches, with whole-piece feather silk filling for a lofty, cozy feel without the weight. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026 The Heat are confident to start the season, but there are multiple reasons to think the team’s lofty goals might not be obtainable in a remade and loaded East. — Doug Haller, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026 The coming IPOs from Anthropic and OpenAI will surely bring more debate over whether their revenue can catch up to the labs’ lofty valuations. — J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lofty

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lofty

Adjective

Goliath reaches speeds of up to 70 miles per hour and is 200 feet tall, according to the park's website.

— DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
Elyton Hotel, now a Marriott property, occupies the stunning landmark Beaux Arts Empire Building, which was the tallest building in Alabama when it was built in 1909.

— Leslie Pariseau, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of tall

Adjective

Elon Musk — Ike Barinholtz has Musk wandering in from another movie, or dimension, a ramble-y, arrogant but ultimately comically non-threatening figure.

— Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
The loud-mouthed cameos from ex-soccer players Zlatan Ibrahimović and Eric Cantona in Nike’s World Cup hero film Rip the Script were indicative of this, chiming with an older, more arrogant vision of Nike seen in the ’90s and the aughts.

— Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of arrogant

Adjective

Aduba will play Allegra Miller, a proud New Yorker fighting developers to keep her home and change her life forever.

— Isabelle Farina, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Docking the Akira One for the last time, Nathan feels proud that his team kept it together despite being on the edge of collapse literally the entire time.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of proud

Adjective

The bones are impressive, with rare, double frontage onto two canals, and countless freschi, mosaics and other historic holdovers from its centuries as a noble home.

— Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2026
But Dovzhenko goes a step further by making his characters look less like statues than like natural features, the wrinkles on their faces as noble as riverbeds.

— Sophie Pinkham, The New York Review of Books, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of noble

Adjective

The preschoolers who had a tough time delaying gratification— who ate the first marshmallow—were less academically and socially skilled, eloquent, attentive, and not as good at managing frustration in adolescence.

— Joan M. Cook, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
Fittingly, this is a very American intersection of wealth and power, the exact kind of problem about which James Baldwin was always so eloquent and incisive.

— James Folta, Literary Hub, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of eloquent

Adjective

Korean star Han Ji-min accepted The Hollywood Reporter’s Trailblazer Award at a glitzy gala high above Busan on Wednesday night, promising that her creative journey was only just beginning.

— Mathew Scott, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
That is a level higher than on other subjects such as fertility, at 54 percent, and menopause, at 48 percent.

— Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of high

Adjective

Hermetically sealed tableaux of haughty models daring you to look away from their perfection.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
All of those have sometimes been used to paint Rodgers in a certain way – usually as aloof or haughty in articles that typically were unflattering.

— Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of haughty

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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 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of lofty

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