1
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude
one dinner guest was a little lordly about her status as a vegetarian, even asking the other diners how they could bear to eat dead animals
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2
as in proud
having or displaying feelings of scorn for what is regarded as beneath oneself
his lordly attitude toward people who enjoy popular music
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3
as in noble
having, characterized by, or arising from a dignified and generous nature
born to great wealth, he has always displayed a lordly generosity toward the less fortunate
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Recent Examples of lordly
But the cruelty and callousness of the lordly class infuses it all.
—
Ky Henderson, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2024
The surge ended in the World Series, the lordly Yankees winning in six games, but Mays was on his way and Durocher gave him full credit.
—Mike Kupper, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2024
The portrait of Markram that ultimately emerges is of a lordly sovereign stalking the halls of an island mansion, an autumn of the scientific patriarch.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2022
What comes next is a showdown between her force and his financial clout, between labor and the lordly class.
—Amy Nicholson, Variety, 11 Sep. 2022
From 1958 to 1961, sulking Giants and Dodgers fans had to put up with the lordly Yankees winning three pennants and two World Series.
—New York Times, 23 Mar. 2022
The lordly African lion in his zoo grotto will cast a sentimental glance at his shaggy mate.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2022
Player for player Atlanta shouldn’t be scaring the lordly Dodgers like this.
—Ray Glier, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lordly
Adjective
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This version of Ryan was arrogant, unable to conceal pride in his accomplishment.—
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So long as that situation continues, the 43-year-old’s allegedly arrogant and stand-offish treatment of his players will not worry the club hierarchy too much.—
Adjective
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South Florida sports history is proud to have been the host for Crump’s barrier-busting history.—
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The Big Ten is marching into the heart of Southern football with a proud swagger, daring any conference to challenge its claim as the power to beat in the College Football Playoff.—
Adjective
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By splicing pop songs and familiar meme formats into cruel detainment footage, ICE strains to attract a younger demographic, hoping to convince people that the agency is a vibrant—and trollishly funny—organization engaged in the noble work of putting away bad guys.—
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In this case, focusing on a dress versus the altruistic work Turner is doing feels like an attempt to discredit that very noble work.—
Adjective
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However, there's no strong evidence suggesting that strength-training in a fasted state is superior to training in a fed state for muscle growth or performance.—
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Neither assurance of German manufacture nor of superior sound quality sufficed to get the bills back into the salesman’s palm.—
Adjective
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Wiig says, referring to the classic TV sitcom of the 1960s and ‘70s that starred Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha, a witch who marries a mortal man, Darrin, much to her haughty mother, Endora’s, chagrin.—
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Indeed, these tales characterize Jesus as a rather haughty boy, conscious of his divinity and not happy with those who treat him as a mere child.—
Adjective
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Never use your high-beam lights.—
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The team had started the season on a losing streak, and tensions were high.—
Adjective
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This cavalier approach masks an earlier struggle.—
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If Spurs were guilty of being too cavalier during Postecoglou’s time in charge, then this was the total opposite.—
Adjective
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But that poem is no smug cliché.—
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Marcello is looking especially smug and evil in this scene for reasons unclear.—
Cite this Entry
“Lordly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lordly. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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