high-flown

adjective

ˈhī-ˈflōn How to pronounce high-flown (audio)
Definition of high-flownnext
1
as in rhetorical
full of fine words and fancy expressions gave a high-flown reply instead of a simple "yes" or "no" answer

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
  1. rhetorical
  2. eloquent
  3. ornate
  4. formal
  5. majestic
  6. literary
Adjective
  • A lot of this work is almost unreadable now, the pained efforts of young eggheads twisting themselves into rhetorical knots over the moral conundrums posed by real-world applications of Marxist principles.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 July 2026
  • Trump’s presentation was a rhetorical win but a fact-checker’s minefield.
    — Philip Elliott, Time, 17 July 2026
Definition of rhetorical
Adjective
  • 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
  • After all, the eloquent document’s principal author, Thomas Jefferson, owned 600 slaves.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of eloquent
Adjective
  • The Venice Film Festival unveiled the lineup for its 83rd edition at a news conference Thursday in the ornate historical archive of parent body La Biennale.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 23 July 2026
  • Many of them had the notion that Homer should sound archaic, perhaps because a lot of translations created their own ornate anachronistic English that had nothing to do with the language of the epics.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
Definition of ornate
Adjective
  • The Department of Children and Families reports that more than half of the nation’s adults have never taken formal swimming lessons.
    — Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026
  • Multiple reception rooms include a formal dining room with seating for 16 guests, while two studies are for more intimate gatherings and the Smallbone kitchen, equipped with Miele appliances, opens to a morning room with French doors to the gardens.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 24 July 2026
Definition of formal
Adjective
  • Delphiniums are tall, majestic flowering plants that provide a strong vertical accent to perennial borders.
    — Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 July 2026
  • The olive trees outside their home, majestic and thriving — not just a livelihood for many local farmers but a symbol of community.
    — Mirin Fader, New York Times, 16 July 2026
Definition of majestic
Adjective
  • On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 13 indie bookstores across the city and beyond are joining forces for an inaugural celebration of local literary culture.
    — Julius Miller, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
  • Yet perhaps the real challenge to literary biography today is the account that does play to the gallery but uses fictional anecdotes.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 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
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Cite this Entry

“High-flown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high-flown. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on high-flown

Nglish: Translation of high-flown for Spanish Speakers

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