as in rhetoric
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 grandiloquence
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
Noun
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Dabrowski also aligned himself with the controversial Awake Illinois organization, a group that has gained notoriety for its anti-transgender rhetoric and activities.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Aug. 2025
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His hardline rhetoric came after a spate of protests outside hotels that are used to house asylum seekers while their claims are processed.—
Olivia Kemp,
CNN Money,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Whether these rhetorical jabs will resonate with voters or simply serve to inflame partisan divisions remains an open question.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
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Just asking questions Kennedy and other MAHA proponents also employ another powerful rhetorical tactic: raising questions about topics that have already reached a scientific consensus.—
Megan Donelson,
The Conversation,
25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fustian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fustian. Accessed 5 Sep. 2025.
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