HIGH-FLOWN Synonyms: 107 Similar and Opposite Words

high-flown

adjective

ˈhī-ˈflōn

Definition of high-flown

as in rhetorical

full of fine words and fancy expressions gave a high-flown reply instead of a simple "yes" or "no" answer

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in eloquent

very dignified in form, tone, or style high-flown speeches about the nobleness of their cause

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for high-flown

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

Adjective

When Kent Jones was a critic at Film Comment, he was known for, among many other things, his eloquent and insightful analyses of performance.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 4 Aug. 2026
What’s far more eloquent is the episode with the witch Circe (a terrific Samantha Morton), whose habit of tricking and transforming men into animals is rendered in evocatively physical, body-horror-esque imagery.

— Alison Willmore, Vulture, 15 July 2026

Definition of eloquent

Adjective

Diplomatic efforts today too often grant the Taliban a formal place at the table while limiting contact with Afghan women to informal consultations.

— Rina Amiri, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2026
Between now and then, there is much parsing of the 16-track album’s rich content to be done, with millions of words of formal and informal think-pieces to come.

— Chris Willman, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of formal

Adjective

Shot across the teeming city streets and the majestic underground caves of Ireland, Bucking Fastard features operatic imagery from the director’s longtime cinematographer Peter Zeitlinger.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
The rolling hills behind the beach looked majestic against the darkening sky.

— Annie Daly, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of majestic

Adjective

The literary poster child for the old type of soldier was Ernest Hemingway, who, like many men of his generation, had preordained military service as a child.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
Her own daughter, Hope, recently graduated and is working at a literary agency.

— Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of literary

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.

Browse Nearby Words

highfliers

high-flown

high-flying

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“High-flown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high-flown. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of high-flown

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on high-flown

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

lackadaisical

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes