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
  • Now, the rhetoric has expanded beyond the candidates themselves, pulling Scholten — who is not running for governor — into the political crossfire.
    — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 21 July 2026
  • In other words, Lander did not feel the need to appease the Zionist mob by softening his rhetoric.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 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
  • With every passing game, Marsch’s braggadocio attracted largely negative headlines around the world.
    — Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 7 July 2026
  • In person, Huang subdues his ironic braggadocio with polite eye contact and rolling belly laughs at his own jokes.
    — Mariella Rudi, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 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
  • Like every precocious rising star fluent in the dialect of bluster, Wembanyama talked big, too.
    — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 24 June 2026
  • And to be sure, much talk of a pause by American companies might just be bluster—easy statements for leaders to make in the knowledge that a pause is a political non-starter.
    — Billy Perrigo, Time, 23 June 2026
Definition of bluster
Noun
  • Yet there had been chatter than the show, from New Regency and Chernin Entertainment, may not continue.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 17 July 2026
  • An idealist could view the competing chatter as throat-clearing typical of a high-stakes labor negotiation.
    — Andy McCullough, New York Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of chatter

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bombastic
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Cite this Entry

“Bombast.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bombast. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of bombast for Spanish Speakers

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