as in affectation
the quality or state of appearing or trying to appear more important or more valuable than is the case
I'd rather be thought of as a person with simple integrity, not a person given to grandiosity and exaggeration
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grandiosity
All brittleness and bile in the hands of Diego Luna, Valentín’s quiet righteousness rubs up against his cellmate’s grandiosity in all the wrong ways — at first.
—
Blythe Marks, Them., 17 Oct. 2025
Ex-wife Kim Kardashian and her mother Kris Jenner are depicted trying to reach Ye through his fog of grandiosity, to no avail.
—Derek Robertson, The Washington Examiner, 10 Oct. 2025
But if blithe grandiosity was Stein’s armor, there was a chink in it.
—Judith Thurman, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
Related Articles Want to tap into the grandiosity of it all through your makeup looks, in a way that pays homage to the elegance and glam of a showgirl’s life while staying true to today’s top beauty trends?
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025
Regardless, the president clearly reveled in his proximity to grandiosity.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 16 Sep. 2025
But her best work is in reaction to McKellen’s grandiosity.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2025
Talking to a narcissist—whose behavior is characterized by grandiosity, a constant need for admiration, and a lack of empathy—is the ultimate example of navigating conversational landmines.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 3 Sep. 2025
Blythe Marks, Them., 17 Oct. 2025
Ex-wife Kim Kardashian and her mother Kris Jenner are depicted trying to reach Ye through his fog of grandiosity, to no avail.
—Derek Robertson, The Washington Examiner, 10 Oct. 2025
But if blithe grandiosity was Stein’s armor, there was a chink in it.
—Judith Thurman, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
Related Articles Want to tap into the grandiosity of it all through your makeup looks, in a way that pays homage to the elegance and glam of a showgirl’s life while staying true to today’s top beauty trends?
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025
Regardless, the president clearly reveled in his proximity to grandiosity.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 16 Sep. 2025
But her best work is in reaction to McKellen’s grandiosity.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2025
Talking to a narcissist—whose behavior is characterized by grandiosity, a constant need for admiration, and a lack of empathy—is the ultimate example of navigating conversational landmines.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grandiosity
Noun
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But Lloyd’s awkward staging here and questionable affectations (including an audience clap-along) makes Pozzo’s relationship with Lucky unfocused and puzzling.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
29 Sep. 2025
-
The band sets aside the winks and retro affectations for something unadorned and honest.—
Sarah Grant,
Rolling Stone,
19 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Professional arrogance, that is, that pushed Atkinson to exceed everybody’s expectations … except his own.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
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True to his overconfidence-bordering-on-arrogance nature, new intern Wes earlier in the episode did not follow instructions and attended to patients without permission.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Journalism that explains things clearly, without pretension or jargon.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Oct. 2025
-
But she is best remembered for Keeping Up Appearances and her role as Hyacinth Bucket, a working-class woman with pretensions of social superiority.—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Even as the young man attempts to ignore the din of city life outside his window, his fear of losing his vanity is ultimately what disrupts his fantasies.—
Abby Monteil,
Them.,
15 Oct. 2025
-
While Lee road trips around Osage County, Betty Jo sits at the vanity, deciding whether to put on her wedding ring.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Under this pretense, wearing a MAGA hat in a Google office or entertaining eugenicist ideas about race and intelligence was a way of daring to go where liberals feared to tread.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Oct. 2025
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Under the pretense of a back-to-school rules review, the sophomore through senior classes at Ruskin were treated to a stirring drumline performance before a shocked Sixta took the the stage.—
Ilana Arougheti
Updated October 7,
Kansas City Star,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grandiosity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grandiosity. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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