1
as in rhetoric
boastful speech or writing
his taking credit for the rescue was mostly hot air, since the boat was actually saved by the Coast Guard
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in wind
language that is impressive-sounding but not meaningful or sincere
her campaign promise to "fight for the people" showed a taste for stale hot air
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hot air
The young people are waking up to the possibility that this is hot air.
—
Robert B. Tucker,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Plus, where to take a hot air balloon ride.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 June 2026
The heat pump takes hot air from inside your home and moves it outside.
—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
The weather is being driven by a heat dome—a block of high pressure that traps hot air—hovering over Western Europe.
—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hot air
Robert B. Tucker,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Plus, where to take a hot air balloon ride.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 June 2026
The heat pump takes hot air from inside your home and moves it outside.
—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
The weather is being driven by a heat dome—a block of high pressure that traps hot air—hovering over Western Europe.
—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hot air
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hot air
Noun
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Despite rhetoric, 'financial gravity' still drives most firms toward short-term gains, as the Business Roundtable's actions showed.
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This era of social media and national political rhetoric accentuate everyday differences.
Noun
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His early career was marked by the sort of gasconade many fans of the NFL had come to adore and many MLB executives and players had come to loathe.
Noun
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But not even Footer’s thorough sleuthing has unearthed much more than Bradley’s brag.
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Humble brag; That turned out to be a stroke of genius on my part.
Noun
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In the last year or two, there was chatter and debate whether Messi would actually be selected to join the national team again.
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If circumstances had gone Spain’s way with more clinical finishing or a Cape Verde defender making a mistake, then the result would have been different and a lot of the chatter currently happening (including here) would likely not be happening.
Noun
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Hammy magniloquence risks alienating viewers, not just for an evening but for life, as does obscurity.
Noun
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Across demographics, though, teens are reporting difficult job searches, taking to Reddit and TikTok with rants about phantom postings, managers who ghost them and applications that go nowhere.
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Sorry for the rant, but this one really grinds my gears.
Cite this Entry
“Hot air.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hot%20air. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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