Synonyms

bombastic

American

[bom-bas-tik] / bɒmˈbæs tɪk /

Also bombastical

adjective

(of speech, writing, etc.) high-sounding; high-flown; inflated; pretentious.

Synonyms:

grandiose, florid, turgid, grandiloquent, pompous

Related Words

Bombastic, flowery, pretentious, verbose all describe a use or a user of language more elaborate than is justified by or appropriate to the content being expressed. Bombastic suggests language with a theatricality or staginess of style far too powerful or declamatory for the meaning or sentiment being expressed: a bombastic sermon on the evils of cardplaying. Flowery describes language filled with extravagant images and ornate expressions: a flowery eulogy. Pretentious refers specifically to language that is purposely inflated in an effort to impress: a pretentious essay designed to demonstrate one's sophistication. Verbose characterizes utterances or speakers that use more words than necessary to express an idea: a verbose speech, speaker.

Other Word Forms

bombastically adverb
unbombastic adjective
unbombastically adverb

Etymology

Origin of bombastic

First recorded in 1695–1705; bombast + -ic

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023