bombast

noun

ˈbäm-ˌbast How to pronounce bombast (audio)
Definition of bombastnext
1
as in rhetoric
boastful speech or writing the other world leaders at the international conference had little interest in being subjected to the president's bombast

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2
as in grandiloquence
language that is impressive-sounding but not meaningful or sincere you need less bombast and more substance in this speech on human rights

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 bombast The documentary’s contradiction is right there, enthralling us with the wild achievements Potter pulled off and frustrating us with his bombast, leading us to ponder whether, as The Dark Wizard suggests, either could exist without the other. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 May 2026 Eye-rolling over Gorka’s bombast has given way to anxiety about the administration’s preparedness to identify and stop major plots. — Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 21 Apr. 2026 The bombast of the song clashes with the aloofness of her style. — Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 21 Apr. 2026 That’s not just because Miller’s presence rings bittersweet given the actor’s real life struggles and controversies today, but also because this relatively modest affair lacks most of Levinson’s aesthetic and bombast. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bombast
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bombast
  1. rhetoric
  2. grandiloquence
  3. braggadocio
  4. magniloquence
  5. bluster
  6. chatter
Noun
  • The ad led Democratic and Republican House leadership to condemn the antisemitic rhetoric targeting Fine.
    — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Republicans who claim that democratic socialists are like communists are either misinformed or deliberately using misleading rhetoric for political advantage.
    — Tom Zirpoli, Baltimore Sun, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of rhetoric
Noun
  • Much of that singularity was centered in McCarthy’s prose, which ricocheted—sometimes gracefully, sometimes jarringly—between gruff matter-of-factness and soaring, biblical grandiloquence.
    — Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 13 June 2023
  • Several of them can fly, and all have at least a touch of grandiloquence to them.
    — Michael Nordine, Variety, 11 Aug. 2022
Definition of grandiloquence
Noun
  • The early going featured the braggadocio of the comfortably entrenched.
    — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The 1989 movie portrayed this area as quaint and quiet where practicality and a handshake replace braggadocio.
    — Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of braggadocio
Noun
  • Hammy magniloquence risks alienating viewers, not just for an evening but for life, as does obscurity.
    — The Economist, The Economist, 15 Mar. 2018
Definition of magniloquence
Noun
  • In the end, all of Ormund's bluster about the the unworthiness of the Targaryens didn't stop a dragon from killing him.
    — Megan McCluskey, Time, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Amid the tumult and the bluster and the noise, what exactly makes our singular president tick?
    — Mark Danner, The New York Review of Books, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of bluster
Noun
  • Active noise cancellation helps minimize engine noise and cabin chatter, and bringing your own pair means you’re covered no matter what your particular flight provides.
    — Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Usually most of that chatter online is about what Kelce chooses to wear.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of chatter

Browse Nearby Words

bombards
bombast
bombastic
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Cite this Entry

“Bombast.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bombast. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of bombast for Spanish Speakers

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