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
After a challenging and awkward Thanksgiving dinner, during which Charlotte (Kristin Davis) tried to set her single friend up with the pompous gallerist Mark Kasabian (Victor Garber), Carrie returns home.
—
Daniel D'addario, Variety, 15 Aug. 2025
Jamie Demetriou, best known for his memorable performances in Fleabag and Stath Lets Flats, has been cast as the pompous and self-important distant relative who intends to marry one of the Bennet girls.
—Emily Blackwood, People.com, 30 July 2025
Louis Partridge will take on Mr Darcy’s nemesis, Mr Wickham with Jamie Demetriou turning his hand to the pompous Mr Collins and Fiona Shaw as the fearsome Lady Catherine de Bourg.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 29 July 2025
Warner also had a memorable guest arc as Eric Sanders, pompous boyfriend of Karyn Parsons' Hilary Banks, on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
—EW.com, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pompous
Daniel D'addario, Variety, 15 Aug. 2025
Jamie Demetriou, best known for his memorable performances in Fleabag and Stath Lets Flats, has been cast as the pompous and self-important distant relative who intends to marry one of the Bennet girls.
—Emily Blackwood, People.com, 30 July 2025
Louis Partridge will take on Mr Darcy’s nemesis, Mr Wickham with Jamie Demetriou turning his hand to the pompous Mr Collins and Fiona Shaw as the fearsome Lady Catherine de Bourg.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 29 July 2025
Warner also had a memorable guest arc as Eric Sanders, pompous boyfriend of Karyn Parsons' Hilary Banks, on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
—EW.com, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pompous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pompous
Adjective
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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.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
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The pilot opens with Powell’s character, arrogant college quarterback Russ Holliday, leading his Oregon Ducks team in the National Championship game against Georgia at the Rose Bowl.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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As a sleazy, lecherous publicist pinned in a Manhattan phone booth by a faceless sniper on the other end of the line, Farrell goes from smug condescension to breathless victimhood pretty effortlessly.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
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But Minnesota, with or without its unapologetically smug superstar, has been the Nuggets’ kryptonite for more than a year.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Each burger is hand-packed with crisp lettuce, tomato, pickles and just a swipe of mustard — nothing unnecessary, nothing pretentious.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Oct. 2025
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Need to drop a levity bomb in the middle of a group of pretentious characters?—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Like Meghan, Mookie is also a proud parent of two.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
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Creating a brand that uplifts underrepresented communities is my proudest accomplishment.—
Essence,
Essence,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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One of the great pleasures of anime is that its unabashed, rollicky genre pieces are often suffused with grand, but not grandiose, sociopolitical commentary — a heady combination that many similar pictures can’t pull off.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
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The Great Park idea was hatched two-plus decades ago amid grandiose promises.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Yet the efforts so far have been in vain.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Oct. 2025
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The first-half goal from Danish forward Mikael Uhre was enough to take the Union to a 20th win of the campaign and an insurmountable 66 points, meaning Inter Miami’s 4-1 win over the New England Revolution was in vain.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Design-wise, the Vanguard glasses are a little too ostentatious for everyday wear, and they're not even offered with prescription lenses (unlike the HSTN glasses), but athletes will appreciate them for outdoor sports like beach volleyball, cycling, and running.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
21 Oct. 2025
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The natural sublime is big, ostentatious, unmistakable.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Like Muscle Man, Mixtape follows a self-important, inarticulate mediocrity on the fringe of a minor American metropolis.—
Robert Rubsam,
Vulture,
18 Sep. 2025
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Their music provided a suitably self-important soundtrack as Great Recession-era artisanal hipsterdom faded into the careerist hopefulness of the latter Obama years, when Everlane minimalism supplanted lumberjack plaid.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pompous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pompous. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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