grandiloquent

adjective

Definition of grandiloquentnext
1
as in rhetorical
full of fine words and fancy expressions poets in the 19th century tended to write poetry filled with grandiloquent phrases

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pontifical
marked by the use of impressive-sounding but mostly meaningless words and phrases at Independence Day celebrations grandiloquent speeches by local politicians are as traditional as fireworks

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of grandiloquent There was Coppola’s over-the-top defense of his friend with a grandiloquent gesture (Tanen declined to sell). — Michael O’Donnell, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026 Reform—Within Reason Malthus aimed to puncture Godwin’s grandiloquent progressivism. — Roy Scranton, JSTOR Daily, 18 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grandiloquent
  1. rhetorical
  2. pontifical
  3. ornate
  4. inflated
  5. bombastic
Adjective
  • To judge by the vocabulary deployed in its pages, the book belongs in the inner sanctum of literary theory, where the walls are hung with gnarly rhetorical tropes.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • For one, what South Korea is calling a policy shift is largely rhetorical and little different in substance from the previous approach, says KIDA's Lee Ho-ryung.
    — Se Eun Gong, NPR, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of rhetorical
Adjective
  • Leo opened his visit to Pompeii by meeting with sick and disabled people who are cared for by a charity center affiliated with the sanctuary, which Leo’s namesake, Pope Leo XIII, declared a pontifical basilica in 1901.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 May 2026
  • That public spat has overshadowed his pontifical tour of four African countries, which ended Thursday with a Mass for thousands of people in Malabo, the former capital of Equatorial Guinea.
    — Claudio Lavanga, NBC news, 23 Apr. 2026
Definition of pontifical
Adjective
  • Church representatives hosted several open houses for the public to see the new temple’s ornate rooms.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The star of the excavation was an ornate Roman mosaic made of thousands of tiny stone cubes arranged in a floral pattern.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of ornate
Adjective
  • Hundreds of thousands of property and business owners saw their assessed values raised by more than 15% either in 2023 or 2025, leading to inflated property tax bills that many have called unreasonable or unfair.
    — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Still, the fandoms that are most likely to post emo lyrics or examine the most devastating lines could have a slightly inflated score.
    — Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of inflated
Adjective
  • Fans have in some instances railed against commentator Alexi Lalas, a veteran analyst, player and soccer executive who has been accused of being too bombastic, and even partisan during his time on air.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 22 July 2026
  • This bombastic rhetoric echoes an inherent feeling of frustration in Russia over the failure to segregate Ukraine from the West.
    — Ihor N. Stelmach, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2026
Definition of bombastic

Browse Nearby Words

grandiloquence
grandiloquent
grandiose
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Cite this Entry

“Grandiloquent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grandiloquent. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of grandiloquent for Spanish Speakers

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