as in conservative
a person with old-fashioned ideas
felt like a Colonel Blimp when it came to how his grandchildren communicated with each other
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Recent Examples of Colonel Blimp
In Zac’s report, Schoonmaker addressed Powell’s legendary filmmaking partnership with Emeric Pressburger, which spawned films such as The Red Shoes, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp and Black Narcissus.
—
Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 22 Aug. 2025
Powell is perhaps best known for his creative partnership with Emeric Pressburger, which produced some of the most brilliant British films of the 20th century, including The Life of Death of Colonel Blimp (1943), A Matter of Life and Death (1946), Black Narcissus (1947) and The Red Shoes (1948).
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2025
Released in the thick of World War II, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp serves as a kind of origin story for the character but also, and above all, as a defense of his place in history and in shaping the national character.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 22 Nov. 2024
Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 22 Aug. 2025
Powell is perhaps best known for his creative partnership with Emeric Pressburger, which produced some of the most brilliant British films of the 20th century, including The Life of Death of Colonel Blimp (1943), A Matter of Life and Death (1946), Black Narcissus (1947) and The Red Shoes (1948).
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2025
Released in the thick of World War II, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp serves as a kind of origin story for the character but also, and above all, as a defense of his place in history and in shaping the national character.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 22 Nov. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Colonel Blimp
Noun
-
While Kirk was praised by conservatives as a champion of free speech, he was also criticized for comments that many other Americans found hateful toward LGBTQ+ communities, non-Christians, people of color and women.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Trump’s war with Iran, attacks on Pope Leo XIV, and a Jesus meme have frustrated some young conservatives, including longtime supporters who question his focus.—
Bill Barrow,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Cheadle clearly figured out that his main job here is to cue her up and get out of her way; that is greatly to this veteran actor’s credit.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Retired salesman and Air Force veteran Bud Levell, 72, has spent most of his life repairing old radios, machines and anything with wires.—
Amelia Mugavero,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Geology lovers will discover 425-million-year-old shale and limestone rocks filled with a plethora of marine fossils from when Indiana was covered by a shallow sea.—
Joie Probst,
Midwest Living,
10 Apr. 2026
-
There's a dazzling cigar lounge and bar, both conceived by none other than hotel designer of the moment, Martin Brudnizki (of Annabel’s; Fouquets; and Fifth Avenue Hotel fame); a sleek omakase restaurant; and even a 4,000-year-old fossil parked unassumingly outside a set of toilets (not kidding).—
Divia Thani,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
With his piano-pounding performances, wild vocals, bouffant hair and makeup, Little Richard burst onto the musical scene in the 1950s and shook up the stuffed shirts with a string of his hit songs that got both black and white people dancing.—
NBC News,
NBC News,
9 May 2020
-
Karen Knorr’s photos of the private members’ clubs of London in the early 1980s are full of stuffed shirts wearing gleaming brogues.—
The Economist,
The Economist,
25 Feb. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Colonel Blimp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Colonel%20Blimp. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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