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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of bombast
Trump’s version of events, as is so often the case, isn’t based on facts, but wishcasting, projection, bombast and bluffs.
—
S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2026
One thing The Tonight Show does better than any other late-night show (and certainly can’t be replicated by video podcasts) is bombast.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
Too big, too flashy, too red, too everything — a tacky pile of bombast in the vein of the Fontainebleau Hotel.
—Christopher Robbins, Curbed, 9 Feb. 2026
And Geoff Zanelli’s score ranges effectively from ominous electronica to fun orchestral bombast.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bombast
S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2026
One thing The Tonight Show does better than any other late-night show (and certainly can’t be replicated by video podcasts) is bombast.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
Too big, too flashy, too red, too everything — a tacky pile of bombast in the vein of the Fontainebleau Hotel.
—Christopher Robbins, Curbed, 9 Feb. 2026
And Geoff Zanelli’s score ranges effectively from ominous electronica to fun orchestral bombast.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bombast
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bombast
Noun
-
For all Magyar’s rhetoric, his politics do not actually represent a comprehensive break from Orbán.—
Kapil Komireddi,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
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Orban’s enduring support stems from tangible benefits — utility discounts, pension supplements — alongside nationalist rhetoric emphasizing Hungary’s traditions, regional pride, and external threats such as Ukraine’s war that resonate deeply with rural and elderly voters.—
Justin Spike,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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Several of them can fly, and all have at least a touch of grandiloquence to them.—
Michael Nordine,
Variety,
11 Aug. 2022
Noun
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Rather than bluster and braggadocio, the Department of Defense needs a well-conceived and thoughtfully presented multiyear program to build a military fit for large-scale and sustained war.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
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Nicholson's portrayal of a rebellious mental hospital inmate is a phenomenal combination of sly intelligence and impish braggadocio, best showcased during the scene where, thwarted in his attempt to watch the World Series on TV, McMurphy ad libs a commentary in front of a blank set.—
Devan Coggan,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Hammy magniloquence risks alienating viewers, not just for an evening but for life, as does obscurity.—
The Economist,
The Economist,
15 Mar. 2018
Noun
-
Rather than bluster and braggadocio, the Department of Defense needs a well-conceived and thoughtfully presented multiyear program to build a military fit for large-scale and sustained war.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
-
All bluster aside, this read as an attempt at de-escalation.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Those big tires with big sidewalls soak up a lot of the road chatter before the suspension even starts suspending.—
Joe Salas
April 07,
New Atlas,
7 Apr. 2026
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August 23 – September 22 Clarity lands where chatter once created noise.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bombast.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bombast. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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