variants also hifalutin
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as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude her highfalutin relatives from New York made the snide remark that her little house "has that lived-in look"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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 highfalutin There was nothing highfalutin or fake about her. Charles Bethea, The New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2025 In the highfalutin world of fine art, labels matter. Chadd Scott, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025 This sounds so highfalutin, but whatever. Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2025 Newsom, for all his highfalutin rhetoric about championing all Californians, just can’t quit the gentry and the insiders who have made his career. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for highfalutin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for highfalutin
Adjective
  • As the day goes on, Jim goes from a caricature of an arrogant male director to an oddly compelling picture of a pathetic man, moved by spite toward his ex-wife, Anita.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 July 2025
  • Actor Tyler Hilton played Chris Keller, a charming but arrogant musician, on four seasons of the teen soap.
    Bryan West, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Adjective
  • Known and adored for their cushiony insoles and superior arch support, this footwear brand is a top pick for avid walkers, folks with chronic foot pain, and even podiatrists (after all, the founder, Dr. William Mathias Scholl, was one himself).
    Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2025
  • The idea that no one was born inherently superior, that status wasn’t tied to birth but to citizenship and shared rights, was a radical break in human history and a decisive rejection of Old World European ideology.
    Jared Nordlund, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 July 2025
Adjective
  • For those still on Windows 10 who might be feeling rather smug at avoiding these Windows 11 issues, Windows Latest has just issued a new warning, given that its own recent updates are not faring any better.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 18 July 2025
  • His reboot has the benefit of an actor, David Corenswet, who may not have a lot of colors to work with, but whose presence is infinitely easier to take and less of a huge pile of smug than Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel.
    Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2025
Adjective
  • Under the Biden administration, for instance, material and rhetorical support for LGBTQ groups abroad was a prominent element of American diplomacy.
    Ari Shaw, Foreign Affairs, 17 July 2025
  • These sections weren’t just rhetorical flourishes from Murasaki.
    Andrew Paul Jul 16, Popular Science, 16 July 2025
Adjective
  • Another important preventative measure athletes can take is preparing for life after sport.
    Brook Choulet, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • On the flip-side, the World Health Organization cites traffic noise such as road, rail and air traffic as the second most important cause of ill health in western Europe behind air pollution.
    Daisy Jones, Vogue, 15 July 2025
Adjective
  • Old Fitzgerald, the once proud brand with a century-long legacy, was tossed into the Bernheim sale like an extra trading card between kids to sweeten the deal, not to headline it.
    Chris Perugini, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • In the post, the proud single mom shared throwback photos of her with her eldest son and daughter.
    Kayla Grant, People.com, 14 July 2025
Adjective
  • Even when Season Three felt meandering or pretentious, the vibe set by the music and the production design never faltered.
    Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 26 June 2025
  • My book recommendations are uncommon, but not pretentious.
    James Folta, Literary Hub, 3 June 2025
Adjective
  • The husband’s cavalier response is also something that needs to be addressed in therapy.
    Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 17 May 2025
  • Basset hounds and cavalier King Charles spaniels are a great match for a more chilled lifestyle, according to Smith.
    Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Highfalutin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/highfalutin. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.

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