bombastic

Also bom·bas·ti·cal

[bom-bas-tik]

adjective

1. (of speech, writing, etc.) high-sounding; high-flown; inflated; pretentious.

   Synonyms: grandiose, florid, turgid, grandiloquent, pompous

Other Word Forms

• bombastically adverb
• unbombastic adjective
• unbombastically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of bombastic¹

First recorded in 1695–1705; bombast + -ic

Synonym Study

Bombastic, flowery, pretentious, verbose all describe a use or a user of language more elaborate than is justified by or appropriate to the content being expressed. Bombastic suggests language with a theatricality or staginess of style far too powerful or declamatory for the meaning or sentiment being expressed: a bombastic sermon on the evils of cardplaying. Flowery describes language filled with extravagant images and ornate expressions: a flowery eulogy. Pretentious refers specifically to language that is purposely inflated in an effort to impress: a pretentious essay designed to demonstrate one's sophistication. Verbose characterizes utterances or speakers that use more words than necessary to express an idea: a verbose speech, speaker.

Example Sentences

“One of the problems is that capital-M ‘miracles’ have a tendency to be quite bombastic” in biblical entertainment, says Leshem, who directed most episodes of “The Saints.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Also subtlety: The musical wilts under the weight of its many bombastic numbers and passages of clichéd dialogue.

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They’re largely lost to time here, but fondly recalled there as bombastic dispatches from a cosmopolitan yet heartbroken immigrant community in L.A.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In stark contrast with the album’s bombastic, top-10 title track, the early version of “Born in the USA” featured on “Nebraska ’82” oozes with the pain, heartbreak and disillusion inherent in the song’s lyrics.

Read more on Salon

The final product moves swiftly over 10 songs, the track list starts with a flurry of energy from the bombastic opening drums of “Better Days” that propel a song on inner reflection on the past.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• grandiose 
• histrionic 
• histrionical www.thesaurus.com
• rhapsodic