bombastic en · ADJ
Pronunciation
Etymology
From bombast (“padding, stuffing”) + -ic, 18th century. Sense evolution possibly influenced by unrelated bomb and bombard; see also bombard phrase.
Meanings
-
(of a person, qualifier:their language or writing) showy in speech and given to using flowery or elaborate terms; grandiloquent; pompous
Dorsett came up the stairs, buggy whip in hand. He bustled into the office in his usual self‐important way. Frank noticed that the old clerk sat down on him promptly. He was not one bit impressed with the bombastic visitor from Greenville.
1907, Allen Chapman, Bound to Succeed:
- High‐sounding but with little meaning.
- (colloquial) Loud, aggressive, highly exaggerated, or explosive in manner or delivery; over‐the‐top.
- (archaic) Inflated, overfilled.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most bombastic | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| bumbastical | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic | |
| bumbastic | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic | |
| more bombastic | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| bombastical | alternative, archaic | lexicographic | |
| bombastick | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic |
Antonyms
lapidary · laconic · to the point · terse · brief · taut · tight · succinct · short-winded · concise · crisp
Deriveds
Descendants
bombastique · bombástico · bombástico
Relateds
bombaster · bombastically · bombast
Synonyms
flatulent · chesty · hoity-toity · presumptuous · snobbish · inflated · turgid · turgescent · snotty · periphrastic · priggish · overweening · fustian · arrogant · thrasonical · verbose · cocky · upstage · pompous · hankty · egotistical · puffed up · la-di-da · snooty · domineering · vain · stout · diffuse · imperious · high and mighty · hubristic · entitled · grandiose · buggish · sesquipedalian · wordy · uppy · tumid · supercilious · haught · conceited · uppity · full of oneself · big-headed · rigmarole · hubristical · circumlocutory · self-important · bombastic · haut · thrasonic · haughty · overbearing · uppish · toplofty · high-hat · lordly · pretentious · sanctimonious · palaverous · stuck up · biggity · toploftical · turgid · inflated · ostentatious · holier-than-thou · insolent · rhetorical · orgulous · glorious · high-handed · disdainful · airy · blustery · pleonastic · flaunting · highfalutin · prolix · boastful · authoritarian
Translations (62)
ru помпе́зный (high-sounding but with little meaning) · nn bombastisk (pompous or overly wordy) · nn svulstig (inflated, overfilled) · nn høgttråvande (high-sounding but with little meaning) · de bombastisch (high-sounding but with little meaning) · pl napuszony (inflated, overfilled) · nb svulstig (inflated, overfilled) · es bombástico (pompous or overly wordy) · it pomposo (pompous or overly wordy) · ga mórfhoclach (high-sounding but with little meaning) · nb høyttravende (high-sounding but with little meaning) · nb bombastisk (inflated, overfilled) · fr boursouflé (pompous or overly wordy) · pl pompatyczny (pompous or overly wordy) · pt bombástico (pompous or overly wordy) · mk изве́штачен (high-sounding but with little meaning) · grc φυσώδης (pompous or overly wordy) · fi mahtipontinen (pompous or overly wordy) · bg голословен (high-sounding but with little meaning) · de pompös (pompous or overly wordy) · it magniloquente (pompous or overly wordy) · fi bombastinen (pompous or overly wordy) · bg претенциозен (pompous or overly wordy) · nb høystemt (high-sounding but with little meaning) · ru помпе́зный (pompous or overly wordy) · de bombastisch (inflated, overfilled) · se svulstig (pompous or overly wordy) · mi wahahuka (pompous or overly wordy) · mi wahahuka (high-sounding but with little meaning) · fi mahtipontinen (high-sounding but with little meaning) · ru высокопа́рный (pompous or overly wordy) · it ampolloso (pompous or overly wordy) · fr ampoulé (pompous or overly wordy) · nn høgttravande (high-sounding but with little meaning) · nn bombastisk (inflated, overfilled) · fr verbeux (high-sounding but with little meaning) · hu fellengzős (high-sounding but with little meaning) · bg превзет (pompous or overly wordy) · nn svulstig (pompous or overly wordy) · hu bombasztikus (pompous or overly wordy) · mk по́мпезен (high-sounding but with little meaning) · mk високо́парен (pompous or overly wordy) · mk на́дуен (pompous or overly wordy) · es rimbombante (pompous or overly wordy) · de geschwollen (pompous or overly wordy) · fr pompeux (pompous or overly wordy) · mk по́мпезен (pompous or overly wordy) · pl górnolotny (high-sounding but with little meaning) · nb bombastisk (pompous or overly wordy) · de bombastisch (pompous or overly wordy) · ru напы́щенный (high-sounding but with little meaning) · ru напы́щенный (pompous or overly wordy) · hu cikornyás (pompous or overly wordy) · nn høgstemt (high-sounding but with little meaning) · fr enflé (pompous or overly wordy) · es bombástico (inflated, overfilled) · hu dagályos (pompous or overly wordy) · nb svulstig (pompous or overly wordy) · bg надут (pompous or overly wordy) · sk bombastický (pompous or overly wordy) · fr abscons (high-sounding but with little meaning) · ga mórfhoclach (pompous or overly wordy)