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
-
Whether out of arrogance, capriciousness, or collective amnesia, this recent history was ignored.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Vince is benched for his arrogance, but eventually turns his attitude around and leads East Dillon to the state championship — while Jordan's stellar performance in the compelling story arc cemented his rising-star status.—
Ken Simmons,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Making the vanity the centerpiece of the bathroom can transform the space entires, often with just a simple can of paint.—
Lauren Jones,
The Spruce,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Included in this suite is a spa-like primary bath with a soaking tub, stand-up shower, and two vanities.—
James Alexander,
Hartford Courant,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Throughout the litigation, Live Nation disputed the government’s theory, insisting that its success reflects the superiority of its product and the preferences of venues and consumers.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The Illusion of Division Invincibility The reality of the NFL is that superiority is as fragile as a wet paper towel.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Almost instantly, their approaches clash, egos collide, and sparks fly like Westside has never seen.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The 2026 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante attracts attention, important for supercar buyers’ egos.—
James Raia,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Country pride, seeding for the rest of the tournament and Olympic implications (the top two teams in the tournament from the Americas outside of the United States automatically qualify for the 2028 Summer Games) were on the line.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2026
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Helen Arevalo, one of the guides on the boat who is herself a ribereño and grew up in a tiny jungle village called Nueva Esperanza or New Hope, spoke with pride of being one of the only women guides in the region.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 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 17 Mar. 2026.
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