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
  • The filing also says the lawsuit against Alvarez targets political opinions and rhetorical statements that are protected by the First Amendment.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Research links rhetorical tactics to perceptions of charisma.
    — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 18 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
  • Instead of the ornate porcelain and cloisonné enameling often associated with imperial vases, this one is made of blown glass.
    — Stephy Chung, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • By 1988, when Phantom debuted on Broadway, the Reagan-era consumer culture and flashy opulence were on their way out, so the ornate, maximalist sets and the lush orchestrations felt off-key to reviewers.
    — Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of ornate
Adjective
  • He would be sentenced to four years of formal probation, according to the clerk’s office.
    — Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
  • In this case, there was no formal RFP, or request for proposal, process.
    — Brian Maass, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of formal
Adjective
  • But there’s much more to see here, from the stately El Retiro Park to the majestic Royal Palace.
    — Jennifer Fernández Solano, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • And with two outs in the inning, Munetaka Murakami broke that tie with a majestic solo home run.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of majestic
Adjective
  • Many literary critics still struggle to engage with science fiction.
    — Carline Tromp, The Dial, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Xander literally split into his good and bad qualities, Faith and Buffy, already foils, swapping bodies, the Buffybot, Joan the Vampire Slayer, and so on—and doubling is of course a classic literary trope.
    — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 18 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
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Cite this Entry

“High-flown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high-flown. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on high-flown

Nglish: Translation of high-flown for Spanish Speakers

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