pomp·ous
| \ ˈpäm-pəs
\
\
Definition of pompous
2
: having or exhibiting self-importance : arrogant
a pompous politician
3
: relating to or suggestive of pomp or splendor : magnificent
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Synonyms & Antonyms for pompous
Synonyms
- arrogant,
- assumptive,
- bumptious,
- cavalier,
- chesty,
- haughty,
- high-and-mighty,
- high-handed,
- high-hat,
- highfalutin
- (also hifalutin),
- huffish,
- huffy,
- imperious,
- important,
- lofty,
- lordly,
- masterful,
- overweening,
- peremptory,
- presuming,
- presumptuous,
- pretentious,
- self-asserting,
- self-assertive,
- sniffy,
- stiff-necked,
- supercilious,
- superior,
- toplofty
- (also toploftical),
- uppish,
- uppity
Antonyms
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Examples of pompous in a Sentence
So as the pictures of flooded shanties flicker by on cable news, uptight neatnik Midwestern Lutherans and sensitive northeastern urban sophisticates and pompous media grandees on both coasts express shock at the unexpected squalor of the poverty and bafflement over the slovenly corruption of the civic institutions.
— Rob Long, National Review, 26 Sept. 2005
President Warren Harding was an orator, but his bloviations were an army of pompous phrases moving across the landscape in search of an idea.
— Harold Evans, New York Times Book Review, 11 Nov. 2001
She never allowed her spirit to become, as, say, Henry Adams did, curdled by long exposure to Washington's tawdry and pompous aspects.
— George F. Will, Newsweek, 24 May 1999
She found it difficult to talk about her achievements without sounding pompous.
the pompous waiter served us in the manner of a person doing some poor soul a great favor
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Recent Examples on the Web
Nonetheless, White was ridiculed by Paul Finebaum on the SEC Network and by the legions of other pompous Power 5 elitists.
—
Mike Bianchi, orlandosentinel.com, 15 June 2021
Still, this adaptation of an O. Henry story tilts all its sympathies toward the outlaw hero the Cisco Kid (Warner Baxter, in a Best Actor–winning role) and away from the pompous white soldier charged with tracking him down.
—
Keith Phipps, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2021
Larry Fessenden — another horror legend, both in front of and behind the camera — plays Jakob, a pompous preacher with a conservative streak.
—
Noel Murray, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2021
Establishment politicians and media can be condescending, so a sharp voice willing to puncture pompous egos would be welcome.
—
Bill Keveney, USA TODAY, 13 Apr. 2021
Sent around the world as a representative of Britain, Philip became known for puncturing pompous diplomatic events with aristocratic bluntness.
—
Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2021
Now the spaces for discourse are more democratized, immediate and toxic than a pompous dinner.
—
Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2021
Disraeli could never resist the temptation to poke fun at the priggish and pompous, who were hardly in short supply in Victorian England.
—
The Economist, 27 Mar. 2021
Here’s a pompous man whose virtuosity of the sport is never questioned, even if the arrival of a certain someone (Adam Sandler) threatens to topple his No. 1 status and matching monochromatic neutrals.
—
Devon Ivie, Vulture, 25 Feb. 2021
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pompous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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21 Jun 2021
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Cite this Entry
“Pompous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pompous. Accessed 25 Jun. 2021.
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More Definitions for pompous
pompous
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of pompous
disapproving
: having or showing the attitude of people who speak and behave in a very formal and serious way because they believe that they are better, smarter, or more important than other people
See the full definition for pompous in the English Language Learners Dictionary
pompous
adjective
pomp·ous
| \ ˈpäm-pəs
\
\
Kids Definition of pompous
: having or showing an attitude of someone who thinks he or she is better than other people
a pompous person
a pompous manner
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Time Traveler for pompous
The first known use of pompous was in the 15th century
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