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
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In each case, economic performance risks becoming a rhetorical shield — one that deflects scrutiny from actions that undermine democratic norms and constitutional principles.—
Kenneth Zagacki,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Feb. 2026
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In that spirit, the presidency — despite policy detours, rhetorical bucking and social-media stampedes — remains a powerful instrument of national motion.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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State officials are asking lawmakers to craft a bill that would allow the Department of Social Services to limit Medicaid payments for unionized nursing homes whose owners hire family members at inflated salaries.—
Jenna Carlesso,
Hartford Courant,
19 Feb. 2026
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Those inflated costs fall squarely on the shoulders of small businesses and working families through higher premiums and lower take-home pay.—
Bianca Blomquist,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In the conversion phase, KRICT uses the Fischer–Tropsch process to transform gaseous syngas into liquid aviation fuel.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
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These winds of gaseous metals, including iron and calcium, were mapped in three-dimensions, marking the first time astronomers have measured the internal gas motions of a disk orbiting a secondary object such as a planet or low-mass star.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Aside from trying a different type of baby bottle or feeding position, there are other ways to soothe a gassy baby.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Jan. 2026
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On one end of the spectrum, feeling backed up can leave you bloated, sluggish, gassy and uncomfortable.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
1 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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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
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In its report, the pontifical commission highlights failures in the Italian church.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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There’s been a quiet but persuasive strain of Americana threading through NYFW, not the bombastic, flag-waving kind, but something more intimate and lived-in.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
17 Feb. 2026
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Williams turns his ear for propulsive and bombastic melodies onto traditional Japanese instrumentation, creating a work that sways between gentle, meditative themes for the titular geisha (Ziyi) and heart-pounding selections to fill out her chaotic, tragic life.—
Alex Galbraith,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flatulent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flatulent. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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