variants
also hifalutin
1
as in rhetoric
full of fine words and fancy expressions
his highfalutin paean to the working class failed to win over a crowd that wanted to hear down-to-earth proposals for economic relief
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude
her highfalutin relatives from New York made the snide remark that her little house "has that lived-in look"
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in superior
having or displaying feelings of scorn for what is regarded as beneath oneself
refused to be intimidated by the highfalutin manner of the sales staff in the fashionable boutique
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in smug
self-consciously trying to present an appearance of grandeur or importance
"fine Southern cuisine" sounds a bit highfalutin for a barbecue shack
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of highfalutin
The general idea is: creative cocktail lounge minus all the highfalutin fuss.
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David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 11 July 2024
Whitmer makes her case in less than 160 pages with almost no highfalutin language.
—Amanda Uhle, Washington Post, 9 July 2024
Offerman brings a great counterpoint to these highfalutin words with his innate buff-dude physicality.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 19 Apr. 2024
The way his vivid, relatable characters discuss the big questions, with so much soul and hang-looseness, free from any highfalutin airs, has long been something of a north star for me as a movie lover and as a talker.
—David Marchese, New York Times, 1 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for highfalutin 
David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 11 July 2024
Whitmer makes her case in less than 160 pages with almost no highfalutin language.
—Amanda Uhle, Washington Post, 9 July 2024
Offerman brings a great counterpoint to these highfalutin words with his innate buff-dude physicality.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 19 Apr. 2024
The way his vivid, relatable characters discuss the big questions, with so much soul and hang-looseness, free from any highfalutin airs, has long been something of a north star for me as a movie lover and as a talker.
—David Marchese, New York Times, 1 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for highfalutin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for highfalutin
Adjective
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Some media outlets are surrendering to Trump already This absurd boasting — arrogant without portfolio — is just what Trump is looking for in the VOA job.Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 13 Dec. 2024
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Angle was able to alter between arrogant heel and lovable goofball almost on a whim.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Analysts cite several reasons — most notably declining revenue in the face of failure to provide customers with competitively superior value and excellent shopping experiences coupled with high operating costs, according to a December 3 report from GlobalData analyst Neil Saunders.Peter Cohan, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
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That said, managers always want superior players at their disposal.James McNicholas, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Like David, Danson appeared as a pretentious and smug version of himself on the beloved series.Esther Kang, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024
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Yet the people posting vitriolic comments about Thompson feel justified in being smug about the death of this human in particular.Aja Romano, Vox, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Initially, resistance was mostly rhetorical and for show, with disgruntled residents gathering to air their grievances in public and private meetings.Joseph Thorndike, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
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Antithesis This is a rhetorical technique in which there are two contrasting ideas in one sentence to create emphasis.Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 3 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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As always, nothing but the most important journalism from us. Welcome back to The Bootleg.Tyler Palmateer, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024
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Another thing that was important in 1979, of course, was the series of murders of Black women.Jazmine Hughes, Them, 20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Funny Christmas jokes for kids, knock-knocks, memes to make dad proud How to prepare for winter 2024 — from freezing pipes to driving in snow and ice Who created Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Courier-Journal, 16 Dec. 2024
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As of this week, there’s even a new Glossier product on the block sure to make Emily Weiss proud, a chubby eye shadow stick that’s excellent for accentuating even the most natural of makeup looks.Kiana Murden, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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With a gleaming library, a high-tech theater with seating wrapped around its stage, and the Grand Dutch Café bringing a bit of that Netherlands feel, Rotterdam is sophisticated without being pretentious.David Swanson, Travel + Leisure, 14 Dec. 2024
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Despite having the world’s most extensive collection of Napa Valley wine — the list is more than 170 pages long — there is nothing pretentious about Press.Katie Sweeney, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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If Thompson were the CEO of a toy company, would the public have been so cavalier about the loss of life?Dr. Marcus Collins, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
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Pundits and analysts can afford to be cavalier about it; U.S. policymakers with actual responsibility on their shoulders can't.Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Highfalutin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/highfalutin. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
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