GRANDILOQUENT Synonyms: 62 Similar and Opposite Words

grandiloquent

adjective

Definition of grandiloquent

as in rhetorical

full of fine words and fancy expressions poets in the 19th century tended to write poetry filled with grandiloquent phrases

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in pontifical

marked by the use of impressive-sounding but mostly meaningless words and phrases at Independence Day celebrations grandiloquent speeches by local politicians are as traditional as fireworks

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of grandiloquent There was Coppola’s over-the-top defense of his friend with a grandiloquent gesture (Tanen declined to sell). — Michael O’Donnell, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026 Reform—Within Reason Malthus aimed to puncture Godwin’s grandiloquent progressivism. — Roy Scranton, JSTOR Daily, 18 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grandiloquent

Adjective

By retaining too much of the play’s rhetorical architecture, the film turns a provocative dramatic premise into something closer to an illustrated thesis.

— Beandrea July, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026
His recollections often take the form of dialogues in which interlocutors meekly acknowledge his overwhelming rhetorical advantage.

— Ian Parker, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of rhetorical

Adjective

In another decree published Monday, Leo canceled Francis’ plans to move some of the Vatican’s secret archives and library holdings out of the city state and onto the grounds of a pontifical university across town.

— Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of pontifical

Adjective

When diners first enter the restaurant, they’re greeted by a grand, ornate handwashing bar to encourage them to wash their hands before and after dining.

— Emily Rella, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026
The outfit features a top and skirt with ornate beading, sequins, and embroidery.

— Tim Chan, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of ornate

Adjective

There are the Vamps, inflated shoes born of the puffy Y2K lineage of skate classics like Osirises or Etnies, taken to theatrical levels of bulbous.

— Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
The visually inflated size of certain landmasses such as Greenland on the Mercator map may even have geopolitical implications.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of inflated

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grandiloquence

grandiloquent

grandiose

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“Grandiloquent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grandiloquent. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of grandiloquent

adjective

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