as in rants
disapproving
to speak or express your opinion about something in a way that shows that you think you are always right
We had to listen to her pontificate about the best way to raise children.
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Recent Examples of pontificates
Indeed, the Abbé pontificates on pretty much every topic known to man as the pair try in vain to tunnel their way to freedom.
—
Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2026
That’s especially true for one of its two main narrators, Verity, an aging franchise movie star who acts, thinks, and pontificates like an adolescent.
—Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025
Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2026
That’s especially true for one of its two main narrators, Verity, an aging franchise movie star who acts, thinks, and pontificates like an adolescent.
—Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pontificates
Verb
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And his ultimate war is with Bob, a tech CEO who rants about his haters and has gotten rich off rebranded snake oil and whose obvious corruption has been obscured by his self-mythologizing.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
29 Aug. 2025
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One grumbles when the driver rants about development’s ravages.—
Mark Ellwood,
Robb Report,
10 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Whether the goal is craft mocktails in Manhattan, sober raves in Berlin or mountain-side kava in Asheville, the infrastructure is finally catching up to the demand.—
Lauren Schuster,
Charlotte Observer,
22 May 2026
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Surprising melodic choices ride a chameleonic song structure that stutters and shrieks, bounces and raves with a fresh mix of Big Beat, UKG, breakbeats, and electro-pop sounds.—
Kat Bein,
SPIN,
21 May 2026
Verb
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Woody Harrelson declaims every line, upping the relentless factor of Phil’s mania.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pontificates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pontificates. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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