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
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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
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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
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Recent Examples of pompous
Though well intentioned, Damian is pompous, consoling Martha while lecturing her on how humankind’s inability to curb its carbon footprint has made global warming unstoppable — and ecological catastrophe unavoidable.
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Brent Lang, Variety, 23 Oct. 2024
Manji will appear as Crispin, an arrogant, pompous employee at a fancy, high-end hardware store who snubs George.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2024
Still, this adaptation of an O. Henry story tilts all its sympathies toward the outlaw hero the Cisco Kid (Warner Baxter, in a Best Actor–winning role) and away from the pompous white soldier charged with tracking him down.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2024
Both Anna and Ivan had wanted to keep it small and simple, to do something at a cafe, nothing pompous, but one thing led to another, and all their relatives came.
—Sarah A. Topol, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pompous 
Brent Lang, Variety, 23 Oct. 2024
Manji will appear as Crispin, an arrogant, pompous employee at a fancy, high-end hardware store who snubs George.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2024
Still, this adaptation of an O. Henry story tilts all its sympathies toward the outlaw hero the Cisco Kid (Warner Baxter, in a Best Actor–winning role) and away from the pompous white soldier charged with tracking him down.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2024
Both Anna and Ivan had wanted to keep it small and simple, to do something at a cafe, nothing pompous, but one thing led to another, and all their relatives came.
—Sarah A. Topol, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pompous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pompous
Adjective
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The arrogant millionaire heir James Beaufort (Damian Hardung) then has to deal with the quick-witted scholarship student, for better or worse.Matt Grobar, Deadline, 3 Dec. 2024
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The truth is that women often downplay their accomplishments to avoid being perceived as arrogant, but this approach can unintentionally undermine your professional growth.Nicole Lipkin, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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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
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If Dani hadn’t shown up looking dreadfully smug, Helen could have gotten on with her morning and done her bit to prevent a war.Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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At first, the girls are only in danger of being forced to listen to one man’s extremely pretentious opinions about religion, philosophy, culture, and yes, pop music, which is terrifying in itself.Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 7 Nov. 2024
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Co-founder and master distiller Andy Wahl grew up in wine country, in California’s Sonoma County, and felt that the fine wines harvested in the region were pretentious and inaccessible.John Kell, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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Marshall was known for his use of ornate and grandiose designs, which often features intricate details and luxurious materials, according to the Benjamin Marshall Society.Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024
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The Tuscan-style villa is grandiose in every sense of the word.Claudia Williams, Architectural Digest, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The film, which centers on a group of egotistical actors making a Vietnam War movie, grossed nearly $200 million worldwide and picked up an Oscar nomination for supporting actor thanks to Robert Downey Jr.Zack Sharf, Variety, 26 Nov. 2024
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And with Elon Musk playing a key role in this new administration, who knows in which direction his bombastic, egotistical whims may take AI development?Matt Robison, Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Hyman and his team also concocted a devilish backstory for Tony to explain some of his ostentatious wealth.Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 29 Oct. 2024
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Both have wires in them to facilitate various ostentatious display options.Ollie Barder, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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All of which has finally led Sony to give up and admit their long-simmering plans for a big supervillain team-up movie and crossover with Spider-Man have been in vain.Mark Hughes, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
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The songwriter placed himself in the situation of waiting for his dad to come home at Christmas — in vain.Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 11 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near pompous
Cite this Entry
“Pompous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pompous. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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