bombast

[ bom-bast ]

noun

1. speech too pompous for an occasion; pretentious words.
2. Obsolete. cotton or other material used to stuff garments; padding.

adjective

1. Obsolete. bombastic.

bombast

/ ˈbɒmbæst /

noun

1. pompous and grandiloquent language
2. obsolete.
   material used for padding

Derived Forms

• bomˈbastically, adverb
• bomˈbastic, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bombast¹

1560–70; earlier bombace padding < Middle French < Medieval Latin bombācem, accusative of bombāx; bombax family

Word History and Origins

Origin of bombast¹

C16: from Old French bombace , from Medieval Latin bombāx cotton; see bombacaceous

Example Sentences

It was an extremely vulnerable moment in a night mostly characterized by bombast.

From Time

Although there was quite a lot of bombast in Ford’s release about this to say it could bring EV charging times down to equivalent to refueling, that bits in the handwave phase at the moment.

From Popular-Science

Veteran counterterrorism officials say the bombast and sheer volume of chatter on those forums make it a challenge to differentiate between plotting and ranting.

From ProPublica

On the one hand, this is as much production value as one would expect for elite athletes, and just as much bombast as directors Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui afforded their last documentary subject, fashion designer Alexander McQueen.

From Outside Online

“Magic” and “Midnight” were both excellent as well, replacing stadium bombast with a newfound sense of simplicity and restraint.

From The Daily Beast

In the midst of all her bombast, I suddenly saw her as the sad, lonely old woman she was.

From The Daily Beast

Bombast was trumping originality and critics were at the end of their ropes with it.

From The Daily Beast

It's over-the-top bombast of girls under sheets and breaking Champagne glasses in slow motion and of course explosions and fire.

From The Daily Beast

A few weeks later the target of his bombast had been expanded to all mental health patients.

From The Daily Beast

The notion was simply that the young idlers about town met together to acquire perfection in the arts of bombast and exaggeration.

From Project Gutenberg

To search for thoughts to trail along in a series results in thinnest bombast.

From Project Gutenberg

I look upon it all as an empty, insolent piece of bombast; but whatever it is, we must not be taken unawares.

From Project Gutenberg

Indeed, the man seems to have been a second Paracelsus, lacking only in the dishonesty and bombast of the latter.

From Project Gutenberg

Can it be possible that he believes that proclamation will be acceptable to them—that mixture of cajolery and bombast.

From Project Gutenberg