1
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude
the pompous waiter served us in the manner of a person doing some poor soul a great favor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in smug
having too high an opinion of oneself
a pompous piano teacher who thought that the music world was lucky to have her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pretentious
self-consciously trying to present an appearance of grandeur or importance
a pompous gambling casino decorated to look like a palace in ancient Rome
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pompous
Emily Blackwood, People.com, 30 July 2025
Louis Partridge will take on Mr Darcy’s nemesis, Mr Wickham with Jamie Demetriou turning his hand to the pompous Mr Collins and Fiona Shaw as the fearsome Lady Catherine de Bourg.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 29 July 2025
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pompous
Adjective
Jamie Demetriou, best known for his memorable performances in Fleabag and Stath Lets Flats, has been cast as the pompous and self-important distant relative who intends to marry one of the Bennet girls.
—Emily Blackwood, People.com, 30 July 2025
Louis Partridge will take on Mr Darcy’s nemesis, Mr Wickham with Jamie Demetriou turning his hand to the pompous Mr Collins and Fiona Shaw as the fearsome Lady Catherine de Bourg.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 29 July 2025
Noun
Any claim for Swift’s genius should reckon with her lapses into imprecision and pompousness.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pompous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pompous
Adjective
-
Zane played the arrogant Cal Hockley, who was engaged to Jack's love interest, Rose (played by Kate Winslet).—
Virginia Chamlee,
People.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Hardly seems like enough to cow these arrogant companies into behaving, especially when their business model is so intrinsically tied to hoovering up other people’s information and creative work.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Colum’s smug assurance that the wedding will happen soon is rocked when Ned shows up with news of the Grants’ suspicions about the raid.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Just so smug and elitist and short-sighted.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Their pretentious vocabulary is what’s keeping progressives from connecting with everyday Americans, according to a memo prepared by a left-leaning think tank and aimed at helping Democrats regain their common touch.—
Nolan Finley,
Twin Cities,
11 Sep. 2025
-
For him, the only way to tell those stories without being pretentious is to wrap them in insanity.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
All of these terms are used interchangeably to refer to projecting quiet confidence without arrogance.—
Melody Wilding,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
The Democratic Party is in shambles because it has become consumed by leadership that wants to have cerebral debates over abstract concepts, and the Republican Party brand, vis-à-vis its own leadership, fails to appeal to greater masses because of its fascination with uninformed arrogance.—
Fabian Naranjo Gonzalez,
Oc Register,
16 Sep. 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
Adjective
-
Hilaria Baldwin and Gleb Savchenko showed off their Cha Cha skills loud and proud tonight!—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
The best people aren’t too proud to prove themselves on the ground.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Positive feedback enhanced their feelings of uniqueness (a key aspect of grandiose narcissism).—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
18 Sep. 2025
-
If the Coliseum does become a regular ground for cricket, grandiose plans are envisioned.—
Tristan Lavalette,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
With over 600 DEXs now operating according to Grvt’s estimates, pure technological superiority or lower fees no longer guarantee success.—
Boaz Sobrado,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Not to mention the moral superiority gap it’s widened in conversations between the thin and the not thin enough.—
Allison Lax,
Glamour,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pompous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pompous. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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