as in rhetorical
marked by the use of impressive-sounding but mostly meaningless words and phrases
one of those fustian odes to patriotic duty that were so beloved by school teachers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in rhetoric
language that is impressive-sounding but not meaningful or sincere
a speech awash in old-fashioned fustian and bereft of all substance
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Recent Examples of fustian
Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 6 June 2023
Noun
Freed of the architectural fustian of the Frick’s Gilded Age home, the art breathes anew, each painting in its own world rather than entwined with others as part of a decorative ensemble.
—Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 6 June 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fustian
Adjective
-
While both candidates held progressive policy positions on issues like healthcare, the difference between them centered on communication style, with Talarico’s softer rhetorical approach resonating with voters through appeals to unity and a vision of hope[1].—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
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Talarico is a vision of a Democratic future reminiscent of high points from the Party’s recent past—rhetorical precision, hopes, dreams.—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
New Yorker,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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His disturbing and bloody rhetoric created a twisted equivalence between violent crime and immigrants, most of whom come here to work, raise families and contribute to our population growth and economy.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Mar. 2026
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Racial profiling is virtually a stated part of the department’s strategy, and ad campaigns have openly espoused white-nationalist rhetoric and talking points.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Under-inflated tires actually force your vehicle to burn more fuel.—
Frankie McLister,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
-
An analysis by a group of leading architects showed that only $329 million of that report’s $1 billion assessment for the city to remain in City Hall would be devoted to repairs, and even that estimate was, according to the architects, vastly inflated.—
Mark Lamster
Architecture Critic,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Fustian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fustian. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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