pontificating 1 of 3

pontificating

2 of 3

noun

pontificating

3 of 3

verb

present participle of pontificate
as in ranting
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.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pontificating
Verb
  • This week’s Liberal Media Scream features the co-founder of Axios ranting about billionaire Elon Musk and his comments on X about being part of the news media.
    Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 25 Nov. 2024
  • But Oliver becomes increasingly agitated, ranting and pacing.
    Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • Even Lu, most closed and supercilious of the bunch, has weird, troubled reservoirs of shame that gradually start to froth and bubble.
    Sara Holdren, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2024
  • Though emerging out of segregation, Black Greek-letter organizations, too, had supercilious standards for their members and rules about who could join.
    Jazmine Hughes, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • Here are five other movies about the magisterial singer-songwriter whose life and lyrics have forever expanded the contours of American music.
    Hugh Hart, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024
  • That’s part of the Dune trap — moviegoers for the 1984 version were greeted with a glossary of terminology — but so far, the show doesn’t have the magisterial wonder of the Villeneuve films to give it a boost.
    Scott Tobias, Vulture, 17 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Central Florida Stamp Club: Meetings include auctions and informative lectures.
    Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 18 Dec. 2024
  • This shift is a clear challenge to the dominance of traditional lectures and standardized assessments.
    Martin Gutmann, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • The prose is confiding and, in places, pontifical.
    Judith Thurman, The New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2020
  • That revelation, coupled with other recent pontifical critiques, have quickly dissolved the notion that the Dec. 31 death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, a symbolic leader of the church’s conservative wing, might lessen the opposition to Francis.
    Stefano Pitrelli, Washington Post, 18 Jan. 2023
Noun
  • What's New The European Union has launched an investigation into TikTok over its role in Romania's recent presidential election, annulled following allegations of Russian interference.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
  • There’s also the question of whether WBD will honor the promise to let DC Studios proceed without interference — a promise already undermined by the fact casting for Superman had to be approved through a committee of studio execs including Warner President and CEO David Zaslav.
    Mark Hughes, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • 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
  • Angle was able to alter between arrogant heel and lovable goofball almost on a whim.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Giovanni held teaching roles at both Rutgers and Queens College before being recruited by Fowler, who was the associate head of the English department at Virginia Tech, back in 1987.
    Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 10 Dec. 2024
  • His experience also lists jobs as an artificial intelligence teaching assistant for gifted high school students.
    Michelle Deal-Zimmerman, Baltimore Sun, 10 Dec. 2024
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Thesaurus Entries Near pontificating

Cite this Entry

“Pontificating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pontificating. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

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