grandiose
Americanadjective
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affectedly grand or important; pompous.
grandiose words.
- Synonyms:
- extravagant, high-flown, splashy, flamboyant, affected, pretentious
-
more complicated or elaborate than necessary; overblown.
a grandiose scheme.
-
grand in an imposing or impressive way.
-
Psychiatry. having an exaggerated belief in one's importance, sometimes reaching delusional proportions, and occurring as a common symptom of mental illnesses, as manic disorder.
adjective
-
pretentiously grand or stately
-
imposing in conception or execution
Synonym Usage
Grandiose, showy, ostentatious, pretentious all refer to conspicuous outward display, either designed to attract attention or likely to do so. Grandiose and showy are alike in that they may suggest impressiveness that is not objectionable: the grandiose sweep of the arch; a fresh bouquet of showy zinnias. Grandiose, however, most often implies inflation or exaggeration to the point of absurdity: grandiose, impractical plans; a ridiculously grandiose manner. Showy sometimes suggests a meretricious gaudiness or flashiness: a showy taste in dress. Ostentatious, which refers to behavior or manner clearly designed to impress, also has negative connotations: an ostentatious display of wealth; an assumption of superiority too ostentatious to be ignored. Pretentious, like the preceding term, is always derogatory, implying falseness or exaggeration in claims made or implied: natural and straightforward, not pretentious; pretentious language designed to mask the absence of real content.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of grandiose
First recorded in 1830–40; from French, from Italian grandioso, from Latin grandi(s) “grand” + -ōsus adjective suffix ( see -ose 1)
Explanation
You've got big plans. Huge plans. Whatever it is, it's going to blow minds and absolutely rock worlds! Well, to some people those plans might sound a bit grandiose, or unnecessarily overblown and even highfalutin. Coming from the Italian word grandioso (meaning "grand" or "noble"), the adjective grandiose is kind of like Italian hand gestures: big, exaggerated, and over the top. And it's that excessiveness that pushes something grand (large, with an air of distinction) into grandiose (large, but trying too hard) territory.
Vocabulary lists containing grandiose
Monster
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"
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Umberto Eco (1932-2016) Tribute List
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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.
The city is grandiose enough that there are even ways for filmmakers to put their own spin on its more conventional sights and sounds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
Marsch is known for grandiose comments - exaggerated and emotional statements delivered to provide maximum impact.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
That has not stopped Calce and his team from making grandiose claims to the public.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
Greensill had grandiose ambitions, believing he could bring supply-chain finance to the masses using technology to digitize paper invoices.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026
His claim, that he had missed her at every major event in his life, was grandiose, he knew, but it was not entirely false.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
