as in rhetorical
marked by the use of impressive-sounding but mostly meaningless words and phrases
on election night TV's self-important pundits let loose a fusillade of flatulent pontifications
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Recent Examples of flatulent
Gary Oldman plays Jackson Lamb in the series, the curmudgeonly and flatulent chief of Slough House where all the MI5 misfits are sent.
—
Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Led by Gary Oldman’s flatulent and sardonic Jackson Lamb, the ‘slow horses’ of Slough House prove weirdly effective, often confounding MI5’s Second Desk Diana Taverner (Kristen Scott-Thomas) and, as of Season 4, its First Desk Claude Whelan (James Tallis).
—Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 29 July 2025
This time, the technique is turned upon classic alien invasion movies of the Golden Age with liberal helpings of pure human stupidity as a seemingly peaceful first contact moment goes awry and gets bloody, leading to a solar system-ending flatulent finish.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 17 May 2025
The waggish jeer that subverts the Reich Chancellery, designed by Adolf Hitler's chief architect, Albert Speer, must have sent the woman who chastises children for flatulent folly into a tizzy.
—Natasha Gural, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flatulent
Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Led by Gary Oldman’s flatulent and sardonic Jackson Lamb, the ‘slow horses’ of Slough House prove weirdly effective, often confounding MI5’s Second Desk Diana Taverner (Kristen Scott-Thomas) and, as of Season 4, its First Desk Claude Whelan (James Tallis).
—Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 29 July 2025
This time, the technique is turned upon classic alien invasion movies of the Golden Age with liberal helpings of pure human stupidity as a seemingly peaceful first contact moment goes awry and gets bloody, leading to a solar system-ending flatulent finish.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 17 May 2025
The waggish jeer that subverts the Reich Chancellery, designed by Adolf Hitler's chief architect, Albert Speer, must have sent the woman who chastises children for flatulent folly into a tizzy.
—Natasha Gural, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flatulent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flatulent
Adjective
-
The unraveling of the once-cozy relationship is not just personal or rhetorical.—
Julia Khrebtan-Hörhager,
The Conversation,
24 Apr. 2026
-
For Republican Presidents, this has mostly been rhetoric.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Even when companies genuinely believe in the long-term potential of their strategies, vague or inflated narratives can create legal exposure.—
Perrie M. Weiner,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
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In addition to scapegoating Josh, Park is also implying that Lindsay inflated procedure prices and sold customers on unnecessary treatments at Trochos.—
Skyler Trepel,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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This would leave some elements temporarily trapped in gaseous form, allowing more mixing and the simultaneous emergence of multiple minerals.—
Javier Barbuzano,
Scientific American,
22 Apr. 2026
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For example, many of the spacecraft operators want gaseous nitrogen (GN2) on hand during launches.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In 1997 the telescope photographed the gassy region inside the Trifid Nebula, which lies within the constellation Sagittarius.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
21 Apr. 2026
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While citrus forward, this sativa dominant strains blends sweet and gassy notes to create an aroma as complex as the high.—
Emily Earlenbaugh,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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That public spat has overshadowed his pontifical tour of four African countries, which ended Thursday with a Mass for thousands of people in Malabo, the former capital of Equatorial Guinea.—
Claudio Lavanga,
NBC news,
23 Apr. 2026
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The bishops further authorized a new edition of the Roman Pontifical for pontifical Masses, expected to be completed by 2027, with Vatican approval pending for some rites, according to the Catholic News Agency.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Woodman is known for being bombastic, but GoPro's track record in making indestructible camera gear is unmatched.—
Jim Fisher,
PC Magazine,
20 Apr. 2026
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Steinman’s music has always been described as big, bombastic, and operatic.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flatulent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flatulent. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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