FUSTIAN Synonyms: 74 Similar and Opposite Words

fustian 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of fustian

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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fustian

2 of 2

noun

ˈfəs-chən

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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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fustian

Adjective

To judge by the vocabulary deployed in its pages, the book belongs in the inner sanctum of literary theory, where the walls are hung with gnarly rhetorical tropes.

— Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
For one, what South Korea is calling a policy shift is largely rhetorical and little different in substance from the previous approach, says KIDA's Lee Ho-ryung.

— Se Eun Gong, NPR, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of rhetorical

Noun

The ad led Democratic and Republican House leadership to condemn the antisemitic rhetoric targeting Fine.

— Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 18 Aug. 2026
Republicans who claim that democratic socialists are like communists are either misinformed or deliberately using misleading rhetoric for political advantage.

— Tom Zirpoli, Baltimore Sun, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of rhetoric

Adjective

Criminal groups often mix real information with inflated claims to increase pressure on a company.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026
As shoppers navigate an increasingly inflated economy, the cost of a great pair of jeans has climbed alongside it, with premium denim often reaching into the hundreds.

— Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of inflated

Adjective

Leo opened his visit to Pompeii by meeting with sick and disabled people who are cared for by a charity center affiliated with the sanctuary, which Leo’s namesake, Pope Leo XIII, declared a pontifical basilica in 1901.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 May 2026
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

Definition of pontifical

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fussy

fustian

fustigate

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“Fustian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fustian. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of fustian

adjective

noun

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