spectacular
spectacular — adjective
1. describes a view, scene, or display that is extremely beautiful, grand, or strik
describes a view, scene, or display that is extremely beautiful, grand, or striking — the kind of sight that makes people stop and stare in amazement.
Minho pointed at the spectacular rainbow that appeared after the heavy rain.
spectacular + concrete noun (rainbow)
From the plane, the sunset over the desert looked truly spectacular.
link verb + spectacular (predicative)
The chandelier in the opera house was spectacular, with crystal drops catching every light.
Gita said the fireworks on New Year's Eve were the most spectacular thing she had ever seen.
- stunning
even stronger emotional impact, often suggesting surprise or shock at the beauty
- breathtaking
emphasises the viewer's emotional reaction of being overwhelmed
- magnificent
suggests a dignified, stately kind of beauty (often for architecture or large landscapes)
- impressive
more general; can describe skill, size, or quality in addition to appearance
- ordinary
nothing special about the appearance
- unremarkable
not attracting any attention
文法句型
spectacular + noun
be/look/seem + spectacular
用法筆記
Attributive use (before a noun) is very common: a spectacular view, spectacular scenery. Predicative use (after be, look, seem) is also frequent.
2. extremely good, great, or noticeable in a way that is not tied to visual appeara
extremely good, great, or noticeable in a way that is not tied to visual appearance — used for achievements, results, changes, failures, or other non-visual qualities.
The company reported a spectacular increase in profits during the first year.
spectacular + abstract noun (increase)
Salma made a spectacular recovery after breaking her leg in the accident.
collocation: spectacular recovery
The team won the championship with a spectacular performance in the final match.
Luca's attempt to fix the engine ended in spectacular failure when smoke poured out.
- remarkable
less dramatic; simply means worthy of attention
- outstanding
formal; suggests quality clearly above average
- striking
draws attention because it is unusual or very noticeable
- dramatic
emphasises change or contrast, often used with increase or improvement
- unremarkable
not worth noticing
- mediocre
of only average or below-average quality
文法句型
spectacular + abstract noun
be + spectacular
用法筆記
This sense typically modifies abstract nouns such as success, failure, recovery, increase, improvement, result, or performance. It is very common in news, business, and sports contexts. Do not use this sense for visual descriptions — that is sense 1.
常見錯誤
spectacular — noun
1. a large public event or performance designed to impress and excite people who wa
a large public event or performance designed to impress and excite people who watch, often featuring music, lights, costumes, and many performers working together.
The stadium hosted a spectacular with dancers, singers, and acrobats from around the world.
pattern: host + a spectacular + with [performers]
Thousands of people attended the Christmas spectacular in the city's main square.
collocation: Christmas spectacular
Emily's parents took her to see a musical spectacular at the Royal Theatre.
The opening ceremony was a spectacular of fireworks, music, and colourful parades.
- spectacle
more general; can be any impressive sight, not necessarily a planned performance
- extravaganza
suggests an even grander, more lavish event with many special effects
- show
more general and informal; any performance or entertainment event
文法句型
a spectacular
spectacular + noun
用法筆記
Countable noun — you can say a spectacular or the spectacular. Often modified by adjectives describing the type of show (musical spectacular, Christmas spectacular, film spectacular). Common in event reviews and advertisements.