high-sounding

adjective

ˈhī-ˈsau̇n-diŋ How to pronounce high-sounding (audio)
Definition of high-soundingnext
as in rhetorical
full of fine words and fancy expressions high-sounding speeches full of promises that the candidates would never keep

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for high-sounding
  1. rhetorical
  2. ornate
Adjective
  • Wagner’s sixty-page bid offered little more than a rhetorical embrace of the Administration’s immigration policies.
    — Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
  • Rather than simply suggesting Talarico is weak on border security or inflation economics, Paxton’s campaign has taken a different rhetorical approach.
    — David Rooney, The Conversation, 10 July 2026
Definition of rhetorical
Adjective
  • Rogers’ designs on the second floor of the Merrywood House are less ornate than those on the first, though not by much.
    — Brian Bell, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 July 2026
  • Judges mingled with customers at a coffee shop before speaking at the domed, ornate Westmoreland County Courthouse.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 July 2026
Definition of ornate
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

high seas
high-sounding
high-speed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

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

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

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All