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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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 grandiosity
Griffith’s own work looks stiff and sentimental, weighed down with melodrama and grandiosity that may have seemed dated even in 1915.
—
Vivian Yee,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
People with bipolar disorder cycle through extended periods of mania and depression, often accompanied by grandiosity or elevated self-esteem during manic phases.
—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
11 June 2026
Fascism became fashionable for a time, even if it was rooted in self-grandiosity, narcissistic grievance, and sadistic vengeance.
—
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
The doctor further explained that the traits of a narcissist encompass low empathy, arrogance, entitlement, grandiosity and pathological selfishness.
—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Such desperate attempts at grandiosity evoke empty vanity, clutching at physical monuments to prove a greatness that history has not yet conferred.
—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
13 Apr. 2026
For more than 50 years, mental health literature has taught professionals about narcissistic behavior, with its grandiosity, exaggerated need for praise, inability to admit error, and turning setbacks into personal grievances.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Apr. 2026
Entrepreneurs displaying narcissistic behavior are better able to convince investors to give them money when their grandiosity comes across as confidence as opposed to defensiveness or arrogance.
—
Paul Sanchez Ruiz,
The Conversation,
6 Apr. 2026
Set in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, the grandiosity of MoMA is deceptive.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Vivian Yee,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
People with bipolar disorder cycle through extended periods of mania and depression, often accompanied by grandiosity or elevated self-esteem during manic phases.
—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
11 June 2026
Fascism became fashionable for a time, even if it was rooted in self-grandiosity, narcissistic grievance, and sadistic vengeance.
—
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
The doctor further explained that the traits of a narcissist encompass low empathy, arrogance, entitlement, grandiosity and pathological selfishness.
—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Such desperate attempts at grandiosity evoke empty vanity, clutching at physical monuments to prove a greatness that history has not yet conferred.
—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
13 Apr. 2026
For more than 50 years, mental health literature has taught professionals about narcissistic behavior, with its grandiosity, exaggerated need for praise, inability to admit error, and turning setbacks into personal grievances.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Apr. 2026
Entrepreneurs displaying narcissistic behavior are better able to convince investors to give them money when their grandiosity comes across as confidence as opposed to defensiveness or arrogance.
—
Paul Sanchez Ruiz,
The Conversation,
6 Apr. 2026
Set in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, the grandiosity of MoMA is deceptive.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grandiosity
Noun
-
The elder Taylor exuded the easy-going charm of a music legend who is free of any airs or affectations.
-
Slumming with her sister in San Francisco after her life with her Madoff-like ex in New York implodes, Jasmine Francis isn't quite willing to let go of the affectations that come with living in high society.
Noun
-
Needless to say there was no second date, and, eventually though painfully, my own arrogance had some of its rough edges worn down.
-
In Episode 3, Harris discussed the early arrogance of the founding fathers who made proposals for America's independence and questioned who was entitled to freedom.
Noun
-
The British journalist Malcolm Muggeridge, who converted to Christianity late in his life, pointed out that Jesus’s entire ministry was directed against the pretensions of earthly power.
-
Adley and his team make great tasting plates first and foremost, but some of the items, like the unmissable chicken wings stuffed with boudin blanc and romesco, act as a cheeky affront to haute cuisine’s pretensions and conventions.
Noun
-
Let go of the vanity metrics, and put your time where the value is.
-
Elsewhere, Prada made a case for vanity pouches swinging from belts; keychains were back at Tod’s; and at Giorgio Armani, models sported the letters G and A pinned to their blazers in homage to the late designer, who died last September.
Noun
-
Fernando Navarro, 53, of Minneapolis, is facing four counts of felony fraud for collecting nearly $70,000 in funds from Minnesota's medical assistance program under false pretenses.
-
Parliament was self-destructively arrogant in declining the colonies any vote or even much pretense of a say.
Cite this Entry
“Grandiosity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grandiosity. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
