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
-
Mitchell prides himself on being a no-nonsense, no-bulls*** kind of man, but his attitude can sometimes come across as arrogance.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
-
This arrogance is not just limited to tech titans.—
Christian Josi,
Boston Herald,
31 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The promo references the famous —or, sometimes, infamous — farewells that contestants leave, penned in lipstick, on the vanity mirrors where queens do their makeup.—
Mathew Rodriguez,
Them.,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Place a container near your vanity to hold earrings, rings, hairpins, and coins.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Timothy Olyphant, again, sells the superiority well.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Originally from Ohio, Howard would whisper-speak his lectures to a crowded room, describing with fatigued superiority people (including his family) who couldn’t properly appreciate Nijinsky.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
However, underneath that public bravado there is some truth in the fact that Britain has also characterized the visit that way, with the specific intention of appealing to Trump's ego in the hope of securing a better trade deal.—
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
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This question opens up powerful lessons on letting go of control, ego, needing to be right or doing it all alone.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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As if back in character, Colfer sported a massive smile, while O'Malley pointed his finger at Colfer in pride with a poker face.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Sep. 2025
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Have a few rounds of Guinness pulled with pride, maybe a scotch sour.—
The Bon Appétit Staff,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pompousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pompousness. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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