lofty

adjective \ ˈlȯf-tē \

Updated on: 28 Nov 2017

Definition of lofty

loftier; loftiest

1 a : elevated in character and spirit : noble

lofty ideals

b : elevated in status : superior

the less lofty customers of the bar

2 : having a haughty overbearing manner : supercilious

She showed a lofty disregard for their objections.

3 a : rising to a great height : impressively high

lofty mountains

b : remote, esoteric

basic precepts are not lofty abstractions far removed from matters of daily living
—D. D. Eisenhower

4 : having full-bodied, firm, and resilient textile fibers

lofty flannel

—

loftily

play \ˈlȯf-tə-lē\ adverb

—

loftiness

play \ˈlȯf-tē-nəs\ noun

See lofty defined for English-language learners

See lofty defined for kids

Examples of lofty in a Sentence

He set lofty goals for himself as a teacher.
She showed a lofty disregard for their objections.

Recent Examples of lofty from the Web

And there are plenty of questions about which players will return to a Seattle team that fell short of lofty expectations and was eliminated for the second straight year on the road in a first-round playoff game as the No.

— percy allen, The Seattle Times, "Offseason plans: Storm needs a coach and to make decisions on several players," 8 Sep. 2017
When a player tests the NBA draft waters before ever playing a game in college, lofty expectations are sure to follow.

— jon hale, The Courier-Journal, "Five questions facing Kentucky basketball in 2017-18 season," 1 Nov. 2017
Such a lofty valuation raises the possibility of far more competition.

— The Economist, "The Indian pony expressRivigo is helping the Indian truck-driving industry out of a jam," 30 Sep. 2017
The goal was lofty: Sell 1,000 dresses in three months.

— karla alindahao, Harper's BAZAAR, "How Do You Sell 1,000 Dresses in Three Months?," 1 Sep. 2017
Relative to income levels, South Korea, Thailand and Malaysia have reached much loftier heights.

— The Economist, "Mutable valuesAsian households binge on debt," 2 Nov. 2017
The Dodgers’ relievers would end up letting a run score in four straight frames, a complete and total meltdown by their lofty standards.

— jared diamond, WSJ, "The World Series Is a Whole New Ballgame," 26 Oct. 2017
Sam Greene/The Enquirer A soccer match that was months in the making lived up to even the lofty standards of Greater Cincinnati’s booming soccer community.

— patrick brennan, Cincinnati.com, "USWNT routs New Zealand, 5-0, at Nippert Stadium," 19 Sep. 2017
Whole Foods sells only natural products that are fully compliant with animal-welfare standards, while Walmart sells a range of groceries that don't all meet Whole Foods' lofty standards.

— spencer soper and craig giammona, chicagotribune.com, "Amazon will need to cut Whole Foods prices more to beat Walmart," 31 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lofty.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of lofty

15th century

lofty Synonyms

Synonyms

altitudinous, high, tall, towering

Antonyms

low, low-lying, short, squat

Related Words

dominant, dominating, eminent, prominent; elevated, lifted, raised, uplifted, upswept; high-rise, statuesque

Near Antonyms

flat, stubby, stumpy

Synonym Discussion of lofty

high, tall, lofty mean above the average in height. 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

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 suggests great or imposing altitude.

- lofty mountain peaks

LOFTY Defined for English Language Learners

lofty

adjective

Definition of lofty for English Language Learners

: rising to a great height : very tall and impressive
: very high and good : deserving to be admired
: showing the insulting attitude of people who think that they are better, smarter, or more important than other people