bombastic
Americanadjective
Related Words
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.
Other Word Forms
- bombastically adverb
- unbombastic adjective
- unbombastically adverb
Etymology
Origin of bombastic
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
So there’s this bombastic side to his personality, but then the treat of working with him is you get to see this very sweet, actually quite vulnerable, very generous and kind side.
Looking at you, Avengers Campus, a half-finished land with a bombastic orchestral score and familiar, urban design that wouldn’t be out of place in downtown L.A.
From Los Angeles Times
His many other roles included a mafia consigliere in The Godfather, a bombastic army officer in Apocalypse Now, and a Texas Ranger-turned-cattle driver in Lonesome Dove.
From BBC
The sit-down could reset relations after the two countries’ bombastic leaders spent a year trading personal insults and feuding over counternarcotics, trade and deportations.
But even with all of its outrageously fun dialogue and bombastic battles, “Predator: Badlands” presents Fanning with another unique opportunity for a quietly self-referential performance.
From Salon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
