bombastic

adjective

bom·​bas·​tic bäm-ˈba-stik 

: marked by or given to speech or writing that is given exaggerated importance by artificial or empty means : marked by or given to bombast : pompous, overblown

The spots that ran before the title game were even more bombastic: "The greatest rivalry ever …"

—Franz Lidz

bombastically

bäm-ˈba-sti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms of bombastic

• rhetorical
• inflated
• pontifical

Examples of bombastic in a Sentence

a bombastic speech intended to impress the voters in her congressional district

Recent Examples on the Web

The three-minute-plus earworm is more of a bombastic wakeup call than a nursery rhyme. —Jae-Ha Kim, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2026

Doucette's bombastic proclamation was vindicated in his standout performance, earning tournament MVP honors. —Jim Reineking, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026

Carton was a quintessential sports-media success story, having leveraged his bombastic New York morning show, Boomer and Carton, into a national following, as well as a book deal and a lucrative TV gig. —Mckay Coppins, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026

Anyone expecting Draper to be bombastic about his immediate prospects will be disappointed, however. —Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

bombast + -ic entry 1

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bombastic

• aplastic
• dynastic
• dysplastic
• elastic
• fantastic
• gymnastic
• monastic
• sarcastic
• scholastic
• silastic
• stochastic
• aeroelastic