Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense marvels, present participle marvelling, past tense, past participle marvelledregional note: in AM, use marveling, marveled
1. verb
If you marvel at something, you express your great surprise, wonder, or admiration.
Her fellow members marveled at her seemingly infinite energy. [VERB + at]
Sara and I read the story and marveled. [VERB]
'That's the weirdest thing I've ever seen,' marveled Carl. [VERB with quote]
He marvelled that a man in such intense pain could be so coherent. [VERB that]
Synonyms: be amazed, wonder, gaze, gape More Synonyms of marvel
2. countable noun
You can describe something or someone as a marvel to indicate that you think that they are wonderful.
The whale, like the dolphin, has become a symbol of the marvels of creation. [+ of]
Synonyms: wonder, phenomenon, miracle, portent More Synonyms of marvel
3. countable noun [usually plural]
Marvels are things that people have done, or that have happened, which are very unexpected or surprising.
She almost died, but the hospital's skill achieved great marvels.
He's done marvels with the team.
It was a marvel that the floor never gave way.
More Synonyms of marvel
marvel in British English
(ˈmɑːvəl)
verbWord forms: -vels, -velling, -velledWord forms: US-vels, -veling or -veled
1. (whenintr, often foll by at or about; when tr, takes a clause as object)
to be filled with surprise or wonder
noun
2.
something that causes wonder
3. archaic
astonishment
Word origin
C13: from Old French merveille, from Late Latin mīrābilia, from Latin mīrābilis, from mīrārī to wonder at
marvel in American English
(ˈmɑrvəl)
noun
1.
a wonderful or astonishing thing; prodigy or miracle
2. Archaic
astonishment
verb intransitive
3. Word forms: ˈmarveled or ˈmarvelled, ˈmarveling or ˈmarvelling
to be filled with admiring surprise; be amazed; wonder
verb transitive
4.
to wonder at or about
followed by a clause
Word origin
ME mervaile < OFr merveille, a wonder < VL mirabilia, wonderful things, orig. neut. pl. of L mirabilis, wonderful < mirari, to wonder at < mirus, wonderful: see smile
Examples of 'marvel' in a sentence
marvel
He's a marvel, that man.
The Sun (2016)
There are so many things to marvel at here.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Sometimes you marvel at things you read.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It was a thing to marvel at.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
We all marvelled at the way he smacked his lips with excitement as soon as he saw a yoghurt.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He marvels at the way her puffy cheeks rise in a smile and how she sleeps oblivious to the danger outside.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
People marvelled to see stars above Piccadilly again.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Older cars seemed to have more personality than today's sleek technological marvels.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Marvel at the skill of the players, and the paucity of spectators.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
People marvelled at her elfin, otherworldly ways.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
People marvel now at how well China has done.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In its time this was an absolute technological marvel, but it is also a thing of lustrous beauty.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
If it is all verging on being a technological marvel, it is also fragile and needs constant monitoring.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
I'm still marvelling at the length of the track and the sandpit.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
No little wonder that we marvel at El Sistema.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Today, he's still marvelling at minutiae.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
You marvel at what people refer to as'the miracle of life '.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
In other languages
marvel
British English: marvel VERB
If you marvel at something, you express your great surprise, wonder, or admiration.
Her colleagues marveled at her seemingly infinite energy.
American English: marvel
Brazilian Portuguese: maravilhar-se
Chinese: 大为赞叹
European Spanish: asombrarse
French: s'émerveiller
German: bewundern
Italian: meravigliarsi
Japanese: 驚く
Korean: 놀라다
European Portuguese: maravilhar-se
Latin American Spanish: asombrarse
British English: marvel NOUN
You can describe something or someone as a marvel to indicate that you think that they are wonderful.
The whale, like the dolphin, has become a symbol of the marvels of creation.
American English: marvel
Brazilian Portuguese: maravilha
Chinese: 奇迹
European Spanish: maravilla
French: merveille
German: Wunder
Italian: meraviglia
Japanese: 驚異
Korean: 경이
European Portuguese: maravilha
Latin American Spanish: maravilla
Chinese translation of 'marvel'
marvel
(ˈmɑːvl)
n(c)
(= wonder) 奇迹(蹟) (qíjì) (个(個), gè)
vi
to marvel at sth对(對)某事感到大为(為)惊(驚)讶(訝) (duì mǒushì gǎndào dà wéi jīngyà)
(verb)
Definition
to be filled with surprise or wonder
Her fellow workers marvelled at her infinite energy.
Synonyms
be amazed
wonder
I wondered at the arrogance of the man.
gaze
He gazed reflectively at the fire.
gape
She stopped what she was doing and gaped at me.
goggle
He goggled at her in astonishment.
be awed
be filled with surprise
1 (noun)
Definition
something that causes wonder
A new technological marvel was invented there – the electron microscope.
Synonyms
wonder
a fascinating lecture on the wonders of nature
phenomenon
The Loch Ness monster is not the only bizarre phenomenon that bookmakers take bets on.
miracle
It's a miracle no one was killed.
portent
2 (noun)
She is regarded as a marvel by those in her field.
Synonyms
genius
whizz (informal)
prodigy
an 11-year-old chess prodigy
Additional synonyms
in the sense of gape
Definition
to stare in wonder with the mouth open
She stopped what she was doing and gaped at me.
Synonyms
stare,
wonder,
goggle,
gawp (British, slang),
gawk
in the sense of gaze
Definition
to look long and steadily at someone or something
He gazed reflectively at the fire.
Synonyms
stare,
look,
view,
watch,
regard,
contemplate,
gape,
eyeball (slang),
ogle,
look fixedly
in the sense of goggle
Definition
to stare with wide-open eyes
He goggled at her in astonishment.
Synonyms
stare,
gape,
gawp (slang),
gawk,
rubberneck (slang)
Synonyms of 'marvel'
marvel
Explore 'marvel' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of miracle
Definition
a marvellous example of something
It's a miracle no one was killed.
Synonyms
wonder,
phenomenon,
sensation,
marvel,
amazing achievement,
astonishing feat
in the sense of phenomenon
Definition
any remarkable occurrence or person
The Loch Ness monster is not the only bizarre phenomenon that bookmakers take bets on.