as in pomp
excessive or unnecessary display
the sheer ostentation of the rock star's mansion was overwhelming
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 ostentation
The lack of ostentation is in line with my impression of the surgeon himself.
—
Mary Roach, Wired News, 10 Nov. 2025
What existed in the White House was a relative lack of ostentation — formal, but showing occasional signs of wear and tear, proof that this was a People’s House, not a palace.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2025
Formula 1 has Monaco, with its ostentation and air of exclusivity.
—Jonathan Hawkins, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Never through excess or ostentation, but through quiet discipline — a meditative expression of grace.
—Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ostentation
Mary Roach, Wired News, 10 Nov. 2025
What existed in the White House was a relative lack of ostentation — formal, but showing occasional signs of wear and tear, proof that this was a People’s House, not a palace.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2025
Formula 1 has Monaco, with its ostentation and air of exclusivity.
—Jonathan Hawkins, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Never through excess or ostentation, but through quiet discipline — a meditative expression of grace.
—Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ostentation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ostentation
Noun
-
Francis’ choice was in keeping with his simple taste and disdain for the pomp of the papacy.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Mar. 2026
-
There are times when Neves goes about games with the quiet dominance of N’Golo Kante during his Chelsea pomp.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Pale, dusty hues enhance natural light, offering a subtle counterpoint to the rich ornamentation, while ceiling paintings by Vicke Andrén, celebrated for his work at the Royal Swedish Opera, underscore the apartment’s artistic importance.—
Mark David,
Robb Report,
23 Mar. 2026
-
One of the White House’s most compelling features has always been its domestic scale and ornamentation.—
Edward Keegan,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But nothing is more important than remembering there’s life outside the spectacle.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2026
-
His five green jackets, including the iconic 2019 comeback, helped transform the tournament into a global spectacle.—
Rowan Fisher-Shotton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Not so much for your music as your…not flamboyance, but exuberance, maybe, or whimsy—qualities in vanishingly short supply with our current crop of male pop stars who don’t make backflips a fixture of their live performances.—
Walden Green,
Pitchfork,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Thousands of artists, collectors, curators and gallerists descend on the city, swelling an already vibrant local scene with a global reach into a week of discovery, creative adventure and fashion flamboyance.—
Arts Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Shoppers can also find mini refrigerators and even Christmas decorations.—
Madeleine Wright,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
-
If fragrance wants to retain both cultural and commercial strength in the decades ahead, legacy must be treated not as decoration, but as infrastructure.—
Sudhir Gupta,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Pope Francis also liked to travel to small countries, but Monaco’s glitz factor likely would have turned him off.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Her group of closest friends has more or less remained the same, and that’s what keeps her the same, despite the glitz and glamour of her life.—
Jazmine Hughes,
Allure,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But then, what is art if not an attempt to tidy up the real world’s teeming luxuriance?—
Sebastian Smee,
Washington Post,
5 Dec. 2023
-
The comic luxuriance of Roman references should not blind us to the significance of these constant appeals to the Roman Republic and to classical virtue.—
Adam Gopnik,
The New Yorker,
24 Oct. 2022
Noun
-
The Dominick is all floor-to-ceiling windows, soaking tubs, rooftop pools, and moody light fixtures — in other words, its 46 stories are peppered with elements that exude upscale, sophisticated energy while avoiding all signs of gaudiness.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
2 Mar. 2026
-
So that drove a kind of character choice as well about the gaudiness of the society.—
Kelsie Gibson,
PEOPLE,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ostentation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostentation. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
