1
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude
the pompous waiter served us in the manner of a person doing some poor soul a great favor
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in smug
having too high an opinion of oneself
a pompous piano teacher who thought that the music world was lucky to have her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pretentious
self-consciously trying to present an appearance of grandeur or importance
a pompous gambling casino decorated to look like a palace in ancient Rome
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pompous
The pompous clergyman enters the life of the Bennet family, his distant cousins, with the assumption that, given his respectable position and benefactor, Lady Catherine De Bourgh, one of those daughters would be happy to marry him.
—
Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026
In Italy in the 1960s, announcements about a state-of-the-art highway that would soon connect the economically struggling south with the advanced north were as pompous as the scale of the project.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2026
When a pompous male customer refused to be waited on by a female server, Bass quietly approached the table.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
Jeffrey Tambor Known for playing the pompous, self-important mayor of Whoville, Jeffery Tambor also has an esteemed career across television and film.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pompous
Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026
In Italy in the 1960s, announcements about a state-of-the-art highway that would soon connect the economically struggling south with the advanced north were as pompous as the scale of the project.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2026
When a pompous male customer refused to be waited on by a female server, Bass quietly approached the table.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
Jeffrey Tambor Known for playing the pompous, self-important mayor of Whoville, Jeffery Tambor also has an esteemed career across television and film.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pompous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pompous
Adjective
-
The two roles underline the actor’s formidable versatility, all skittish panic in the former and arrogant sociopathy in the other.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
13 June 2026
-
Washington State’s beauty is almost arrogant in its expansiveness.—
C Pam Zhang,
Travel + Leisure,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Most smug articles and books that claim to provide quick fixes come off as tone-deaf or even counterproductive.—
Anna Holmes,
The Atlantic,
27 May 2026
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But the series’ central character, played by Rachel Weisz, has enough nervous, itchy, manic energy to make the show’s narrative structure feel purposely unstable rather than safely smug.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Not to sound pretentious, but Elwood Dowd is sort of like a Christlike figure.—
Scott Feinberg,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2026
-
Set the scene Sexy without being pretentious and bold without the brashness, Il Sereno is a lesson in artful restraint.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Citadel is proud not to have a touchy-feely atmosphere.—
Gary Sernovitz,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
-
From a family cooking class to golf-watching gatherings, these 28 Father’s Day celebrations are sure to make dad proud.—
Samantha Nelson,
Chicago Tribune,
15 June 2026
Adjective
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Particularly when those celebrations involve more grandiose demonstrations of patriotism, or are organized by someone who doesn't share their political ideology or belief system.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
-
For the 2026 edition, by far the biggest in the competition’s 96-year history, even that grandiose billing is nothing like bombastic enough.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Bateman shaped Clark from the page up, recasting a vain TV personality as a wide-eyed innocent who reads Floyd as a big brother.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
12 June 2026
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Three Knights pitchers tried in vain as the Bruins diced up the diamond even though UCF walked UCLA and NCAA home-run leader Megan Grant three times.—
Liana Handler,
Los Angeles Times,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
In the week ahead, some hard realities of the office have threatened to overshadow the ostentatious UFC mixed martial arts extravaganza, where combatants sealed inside a wire-mesh octagon try to punch, kick, chop and pummel each other into submission.—
Will Weissert,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
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This week, the hard realities of the office have threatened to overshadow the ostentatious UFC mixed martial arts extravaganza, where combatants sealed inside a wire-mesh octagon try to punch, kick, chop and pummel each other into submission.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
Self-righteous and self-important, priggish and nagging.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
-
Only this time the interns are boring Gen Z stereotypes (obsessed with TikTok, too sensitive, too emotional, too self-important).—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pompous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pompous. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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