spectacular1 adjectivespectacular2 noun
spectacularspec‧tac‧u‧lar1 /spekˈtækjələ $ -ər/ ●●○ adjective 
WORD ORIGINspectacular1
Origin:
1600-1700 Latin spectaculum; ➔ SPECTACLEEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Houston experienced spectacular growth after the Civil War.
- The campground in Emerald Bay State Park has a spectacular setting.
- The view from the top floor is absolutely spectacular.
- To celebrate independence day, there was a spectacular fireworks display.
- I felt as if I was taking part in history and the results were spectacular.
- It was a spectacular morning, and I was happy to hang out.
- Other buildings came and went, including one claimed by a spectacular 1854 fire.
- The theatre is quite spectacular, with the seating arrangement and the plays performed there are of a very high standard.
- We ended a perfect day sipping sangria at a cliffside restaurant, relaxing in the spectacular sunset.
- When he got there, he had to fight for reform and take one spectacular risk.
- When reports began to drift back from pentecostal revivals abroad, the flaming marvels became even more spectacular.
THESAURUS
used about something that people admire because it is very good, large, important etc: · The cathedral is very impressive.· The drug has shown some impressive results.
extremely impressive – used especially when someone does something very well or looks very beautiful: · a dazzling performance· a dazzling smile
extremely impressive – used especially about beautiful views, or the fast speed of something: · The views of the Rocky Mountains are simply breathtaking.· The economy is growing at a breathtaking pace.
very impressive and exciting to look at or watch: · a spectacular fireworks display
so impressive that you feel great respect and admiration, or you feel rather frightened: · Michelangelo’s masterpiece is awe-inspiring.· The volcano was an awe-inspiring sight.
[usually before noun] very impressive because of being big and beautiful: · the majestic mountain scenery· a majestic animal
[usually before noun] written used about buildings and people that are large and impressive: · the imposing entrance hall· The bishop was an imposing figure.
Longman Language Activatorwords for describing someone or something that impresses you · The rich variety of animal life we found was very impressive.· Alan Howard has been impressive in "Henry IV' at the National Theatre.· You can visit the desert as part of an impressive 5-day excursion out of the city.· He gave an impressive performance of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No 3.
a building or part of a building that is imposing is big and impressive: · An imposing staircase led out of the hall.· The show took place outside the imposing Central Library building on Fifth Avenue.· It's one of the most distinguished hotels in Italy, grand and imposing.
impressive, especially because of being extremely skilfully done, having an unusually beautiful appearance etc - used especially in news reports: · During his short but dazzling career he broke almost every scoring record in the National League.· She looked dazzling, with her long blonde hair and diamond earrings.
impressive, especially because of being very unusual to look at: · From the outside, the most striking aspect of the building is its tall, slender tower.· It's a tall plant with striking red flowers in early spring.· The face in the photograph was striking - good-looking and vivacious.
so big and impressive that you feel slightly nervous: · The pyramids at dawn were an awe-inspiring sight.· The canyon was so awe-inspiring that even Dan was speechless.
very impressive and exciting, especially as a result of great speed, size, or beauty: · The bank's new on-line service is still growing at a breathtaking pace.· The drive along the beach and up the mountain is truly breathtaking.· The guest house was on the side of the cliff, with breathtaking views of the ocean below.
made or done in order to impress people: · The conferences always take place in grand hotels, away from the realities of life.· They always make grand promises to the biggest group of voters.
very impressive because of being very big and beautiful: · the majestic mountains of the Himalayas· Tintern Abbey is noted for its majestic arches, fine doorways and elegant windows.
something such as a view or a performance that is spectacular is very impressive and exciting to look at or watch: · The campground in Emerald Bay State Park has a spectacular setting.· To celebrate independence day, there was a spectacular fireworks display.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
The film was a complete flop.
1very impressive: · The match was a sensational climax to the season.
(=a very good one)· The museum has a magnificent display of silver.
The film was a complete flop. (=very impressive)· Tourists come for the winter sports and the spectacular scenery.
(=very great success)· Financially, the event was a resounding success.
· There are breathtaking views from the top of the hill.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· The sunset was as spectacular as ever.· My room is pretty but not as spectacular as the rest of the hotel.· The hotel features a lovely dining room overlooking the lake, where the view can truly be described as spectacular.· Two years later the company's crash was just as spectacular and Bloom was fined £30,000 on charges in connection with the affair.· However successful Gilbert's career in Shropshire had been, it had not proved as spectacular as Gould's.· The scenery enroute to Craigendarroch is as spectacular as it is diverse.· Perhaps this was deliberate, in order to obscure the prices which were as spectacular as the decor.· Occasionally, there are other setbacks, though none as spectacular as the mess he got himself into during 1989.
· Diane Bell's path was similar, but less spectacular.· A similar, though less spectacular, mass mortality occurred in 1957.· The vast openness of Lappland may be less spectacular but the trails are flatter, well-trodden and rideable, sometimes.· It was much less spectacular goal than Allen's equaliser.· The open cluster M50 is less spectacular, but easy to locate.· While this growth is less spectacular than that of the past few years, the cumulative impact is significant.
· Carlton Communications came from a broadly similar direction but with even more spectacular growth.· Although I have seen flanges in several places, nowhere are they more spectacular than on the Juan de Fuca Ridge.· It's as though the show had become somehow more spectacular.· He is more spectacular in sheer technique than any other male dancer.· When reports began to drift back from pentecostal revivals abroad, the flaming marvels became even more spectacular.· Together with this person, you can attain results far more spectacular than either of you could achieve alone.· The trap is in trying to be more spectacular than the movies.
· Again, it is set in the most spectacular countryside and well worth taking your camera to.· Then came the most spectacular play.· This festival is possibly the most spectacular of the city's many ceremonies.· The most spectacular binocular object in Gemini is the open cluster M35.· Their most spectacular coup by far was the discovery of Rommel's headquarters.· April, May, October and November are the most spectacular months of an extraordinary year.· The company's stock, first publicly offered in 1971, has been one of Wall Street's most spectacular performers.· Its colours are probably the most spectacular in the Empire, consisting of purple and yellow, or alternatively purple and white.
· The performance, nevertheless, is quite spectacular and colourful.· Ablutions completed, a quite spectacular gold necklace was placed around my neck.· I hear that there might be some quite spectacular player migrations from that period, notably in the Midlands.· The theatre is quite spectacular, with the seating arrangement and the plays performed there are of a very high standard.· The sweets in particular are quite spectacular, and are sometimes decorated with fresh flowers.· Apparently the sight was quite spectacular.· The drawing room is a quite spectacular octagonal room, with a 17-foot ceiling.· I haven't seen it yet, but l am told it's quite spectacular.
· It is such relentless attention that makes her garden so spectacular for so much of the year.· And besides, the diving was so spectacular.· Subsequent ribbon development has been so spectacular that they were booming even before the election announcement.· His defeat was so spectacular, it might have raised me up exactly as they said.
· The experimental results that encouraged the financiers to support a rotor ship were truly spectacular.· One of these comet families is truly spectacular.· The two hour drive from Zurich to Hinterzarten takes you over the Swiss/German border at Koblenz/Waldshut and the scenery is truly spectacular.· When the males are in breeding colour they are a truly spectacular fish.· Pineapple and gin have a truly spectacular affinity, combining to make something bigger and better than either.
NOUN· The Battle of Seattle was certainly a spectacular display of civil disobedience-but did it represent anything more than that?· One of the targets, a munitions depot, went up in a spectacular display of fireworks.· A superb trout hooked itself firmly and during a breathtaking few minutes gave a spectacular display and a wonderful fight.· But on April 19, 1803 a spectacular display was observed in the southeastern United States.
· This was a rather spectacular event.· The destruction of her temple, just after the conquest of Mecca in 8 / 630 was a spectacular event.· This warmth, coupled with all the spectacular events, has made it a part of our lives we will never forget.· Burning Bartle is not an especially spectacular event, but one which the local people are determined to keep going.
· A spectacular example is the giant galaxy Centaurus A, lying some 16 million light years away.
· Elsewhere, equities boiled over in spectacular fashion.· Especially strong was Marin County, where every single zip code bounced back, sometimes in spectacular fashion.· A serious error could easily result in every semi-conductor in the project being destroyed, possibly in spectacular fashion.· They had waited for the Darkfall to blow itself out, which it did in spectacular fashion.· Theatres specialise for children, ready to tell us tales, ancient and modern, in spectacular fashion.· West ham had a couple of good shots on goal one of which Beaney tipped over the bar in spectacular fashion.· It's a choice between you and them, either they die or Turry explodes in a spectacular fashion.
· It was much less spectacular goal than Allen's equaliser.· Molby swung in the free-kick and Saunders met it perfectly with his head on the near post to score a spectacular goal.· Slaven is the master of the tap-ins while Hendrie has a reputation for scoring spectacular goals.· Woodmill came back well after Humberside had taken a 2-1 lead with a spectacular goal scored from inside their own half.
· Carlton Communications came from a broadly similar direction but with even more spectacular growth.· Less celebrated has been a companion event: the even more spectacular growth of imports.· It has been enjoying spectacular growth for its sales of the super absorbent polymers which make nappies that much more comfortable.
· No wonder he got such spectacular results at business!· In past battles Steam Tanks have exploded with spectacular results, but in each case the machine has been meticulously rebuilt.· Where it counts -achieving spectacular results - everyone works as a team. find that team is led by a Profitboss.· Other critics say that microgravity experiments have been conducted in orbit since the 1970s and none has produced spectacular results.
· The spectacular rise to power throughout the 1920s suddenly came to a halt, betrayed by the leaders who had inspired it.· Share prices, often controlled, cornered or otherwise stage-managed by Wall Street pools, were subject to spectacular rises and plunges.· The government's budget was strengthened by increased customs revenue and more particularly by a spectacular rise in indirect taxation.
· They come for the winter sports and the spectacular scenery.· Other parks have more spectacular scenery, higher mountains or ocean views, but Yellowstone is the place for animals.· Now I am quite prepared to believe that other countries can offer more obviously spectacular scenery.· It's a five mile long artificial reservoir set among spectacular scenery in the Berwyn Mountains south of Snowdon.· I spent an exhilarating day cruising the River Ord, speeding through spectacular scenery in a high-powered boat.
· It's a spectacular sight, as the wildfowl jockey for position to grab the biggest beak or bill full of food.· A young artist, Albrecht Durer, saw the spectacular sight, and painted the scene a little over a year later.· One of the most spectacular sights promised during the four day event is a rally along the Antrim coast.· Visit the Trummelbach Falls, a spectacular sight of seven illuminated waterfalls plummeting into the mountain.· It was a spectacular sight - the best I've had of wild flowers in Britain.· Seven miles away, the Aysgarth Falls make a spectacular sight.
· A professional photographer really gets down to it ... The big moment arrives and everything is a spectacular success.· There were no failures among the more than one dozen recipes we tried; neither were there many spectacular successes.· The mission was a spectacular success full of historical moments.· His point had been proved with spectacular success.· Yet in many ways the most spectacular success has been the new pension options.· In a year of economic gloom for the car industry, it was a spectacular success.· Such limited free trade has already been a spectacular success.
· Its saving grace, however, was a windowed passage-way with spectacular views of the sea and the land beyond.· I was drawn to the spectacular view.· Above these are the two main bedrooms with their spectacular views up and down the lake.· Heading further north, a journey along the 60 miles of coast road is rewarding for its spectacular views.· Custom homes with spectacular views of the downtown skyline fill the streets that snake through Baldwin Hills.· An oasis of tranquillity with dramatically spectacular views.· Passengers also enjoy the spectacular view.
· No great torrents of water, no spectacular waterfalls, no deafening roars of waters disgorging their immense might.· The Turtle rises so high behind Larimore Dam that it goes over a spillway and creates a spectacular waterfall 50 feet high.· The Trummelbach Falls are nearby, spectacular waterfalls which plunge into the depths of the mountain.· Beginning as crashing streams and spectacular waterfalls high up in the mountains, these quickly converge to form raging rivers.
a mountainous area with spectacular scenery a spectacular success2very sudden, unexpected, or extreme: The news caused a spectacular fall in the stock market.—spectacularly adverbspectacular1 adjectivespectacular2 noun
spectacularspectacular2 noun [countable] EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- Hot or not: This science-fiction spectacular is the most hyped movie of the summer.
- Jazz, film and literature festivals, entertainment spectaculars and superstar concerts.
- Within a year he could provide eight spectaculars, all ingeniously flexible to fit one- to three-hour bookings.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES The film was a complete flop.
an event or performance that is very large and impressive: · The match was a sensational climax to the season.
(=a very good one)· The museum has a magnificent display of silver.
The film was a complete flop. (=very impressive)· Tourists come for the winter sports and the spectacular scenery.
(=very great success)· Financially, the event was a resounding success.
· There are breathtaking views from the top of the hill.
a television spectacular