1
as in imposing
having or showing a formal and serious or reserved manner
the governor watched with stately aloofness as his wife charmed the party guests
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in graceful
having or showing elegance
a stately dowager in an evening gown
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3
as in magnificent
large and impressive in size, grandeur, extent, or conception
stately plantation homes that are now open to the public as museums
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4
as in majestic
very dignified in form, tone, or style
a stately composition that has served as the musical accompaniment for countless graduations and other ceremonial occasions
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stately
The stately Red Fox Inn & Tavern, which has roots dating back to 1728, sits prominently in the middle of town, and both Salamander Middleburg and Goodstone Inn & Restaurant are just a short drive away.
—
Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 23 June 2025
The city’s architecture includes intricately tiled mosques, several stately bridges and a sprawling square that has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
—Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2025
Herbert talks to a number of people in Natchez, from homeowners who’ve inherited these stately mansions and continue the tradition to townspeople trying to create monuments to the city’s enslaved population.
—Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025
Her stately surroundings look like something out of a John Singer Sargent painting.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for stately
Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 23 June 2025
The city’s architecture includes intricately tiled mosques, several stately bridges and a sprawling square that has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
—Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2025
Herbert talks to a number of people in Natchez, from homeowners who’ve inherited these stately mansions and continue the tradition to townspeople trying to create monuments to the city’s enslaved population.
—Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025
Her stately surroundings look like something out of a John Singer Sargent painting.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for stately
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stately
Adjective
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The far more imposing limit is MLS’s global standing.—
Jeff Rueter,
The Athletic,
8 Feb. 2025
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And on the other hand, in a world where most of their top arms remain healthy and effective, the Dodgers could possess one of the most imposing starting pitching staffs in recent memory.—
Jack Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The building itself, majestic and graceful, holds an immediate promise of well-being.—
Rona Berg,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
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Her playing was poised and expressive throughout, favoring subtlety over drama and marked by graceful nuance.—
Sheila Regan,
Twin Cities,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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Paleontologists have spent decades hotly debating why such magnificent beasts went extinct, the emerging picture involving a one-two punch of increasing human influence on the landscape and a warmer interglacial climate that began to change the world’s ecosystems.—
Riley Black,
Smithsonian Magazine,
11 July 2025
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The July full moon put on a magnificent show on July 10, rising low over the southern horizon to the delight of stargazers and astrophotographers worldwide.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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Welcome to difficult-to-reach Nordkapp (North Cape), a magnificent — albeit somewhat extreme — antidote for travelers looking to escape the summer heat back home while visiting a majestic landmark that has been challenging explorers, royalty and tourists for centuries.—
Dan Fellner,
AZCentral.com,
6 July 2025
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This 27-mile loop above Crested Butte is a great way to explore the majestic Elk Mountains without much effort.—
R. Scott Rappold,
Denver Post,
4 July 2025
Adjective
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Order the celebration of summer strawberries, which includes an incredibly elegant presentation of shave ice.—
Leslie Kelly,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
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Actor Andrew Garfield wore his trusty Omega De Ville Trésor, soccer star Bukayo Saka flexed a gorgeous Patek Philippe Nautilus, and Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa flaunted an elegant Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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Held at Palisade’s Riverbend Park, this event is a glorious celebration of our state’s wine scene.—
Sarah Kuta,
Denver Post,
7 July 2025
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Hit the ground running like Iron Man with this line of coffee in all its glorious forms — pods, instant, ground, and whole bean.—
Alyssa Grabinski,
People.com,
7 July 2025
Adjective
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Mamdani has secured endorsements from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, but lacks formal support from Hochul and two other prominent New York lawmakers, Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Hakeem Jeffries.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 July 2025
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Performers dressed as formal library pages in white shirts and black ties emerged from the periphery to dance along.—
Brian Schaefer
July 7,
Literary Hub,
7 July 2025
Adjective
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Night Light® is a handsome, compact variety, producing radiant golden foliage that takes on bronze and chartreuse hues in winter.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
4 July 2025
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The main building for what is now the Austin State Hospital is a handsome neoclassical structure designed for the asylum that chartered in 1856.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
4 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stately.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stately. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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