1
as in arrogance
an exaggerated sense of one's importance that shows itself in the making of excessive or unjustified claims
offended by the pompousness of the minor official
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in vanity
an often unjustified feeling of being pleased with oneself or with one's situation or achievements
the pompousness of the self-made billionaire was evident in the gaudy mansion he built for himself
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pompousness
Any claim for Swift’s genius should reckon with her lapses into imprecision and pompousness.
—
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pompousness
Noun
-
Bridgeman doesn’t speak with arrogance but with a calm, aw-shucks confidence.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Chances are, whether that’s empowerment or arrogance depends on your take on Gu’s national representation.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
With the world seemingly hell-bent on her failure, indulging in the vanities of self-adornment is of little importance to Linda.—
Daniel Rodgers,
Vogue,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Lawrence is also a fan of incorporating a waterfall countertop on bathroom vanities or smaller kitchens with a peninsula countertop.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Those who suffer shame as children often cover it up with a false superiority.—
Gail Sheehy,
Vanity Fair,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The physical superiority of lions over humans has been demonstrated throughout human history—the Romans even exploited it for entertainment.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Privacy and personal property concerns, rankled egos, etc.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
25 Feb. 2026
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But even those whose egos seemed built for the brightest spotlight weren’t immune to the intense pressure.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Olympics celebrate more than national pride.—
Peter Folan,
Boston Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
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Their answers — ranging from emotional reflections on family and identity to candid admissions about pride, regret and unfinished business — reveal why season 50 isn’t just another all-star edition.—
Terry Terrones,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The smugness is thicker than split pea.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
4 Dec. 2025
-
Where Spider masked his incompetence with bravado and abrasiveness, Claude put up a thin layer of smugness that collapsed when faced with even a tiny amount of resistance.—
Brian Grubb,
Vulture,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pompousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pompousness. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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