grandiosity

American  

[gran-dee-os-i-tee] / ˌgræn diˈɒs ɪ ti /

noun

1. the quality of seeming impressive or important in an artificial or deliberately pompous way; pretentiousness.

   These are mere bogus revolutionaries, high on the sound of their own voices and the silly grandiosity of their claims.

2. the quality of actually being imposing or impressive.

   Through the photographer's eyes these sprawling, well-known cities become worlds of extreme beauty, elegance, and grandiosity.

3. the quality of being more complicated or elaborate than necessary.

   Hockey’s a great sport: gentlemanly and understated, with no fuss or grandiosity.

4. Psychiatry. an exaggerated belief in one’s own importance, sometimes reaching delusional proportions, as a symptom of a mental illness such as manic disorder.

   Paranoiacs tend to carry a bit of guilt with their grandiosity—a sense of some great transgression that has made them a magnet for universal hostility.

---

Etymology

Origin of grandiosity

First recorded in 1795–1805; from French grandiosité, from Italian grandiosità, equivalent to grandiose ( def. ) + -ity ( def. )

Explanation

Grandiosity is a characteristic of being so ambitious or extravagant that you seem pretentious. The grandiosity of that new house down the street, with all of its turrets and columns, is a little ridiculous. Someone's grandiosity might come across in the way they brag about their amazing achievements, blowing them up to be even bigger — or more grand — than they actually are. Or you might betray your grandiosity by making outlandish plans that don't seem quite realistic: "Later, I realized the grandiosity of my idea to start a cookie business that would make a million dollars in the first six months." The Latin root is grandis, "big."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

grandiosity

Mr. Armitage’s language is striking for its restraint; he does not traffic in the faux-archaic grandiosity, the inflated diction donning the mask of authenticity, that has helped mar so many earlier attempts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026

The terms all apply to him: "pattern of grandiosity," "fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance," "lacks empathy," "requires excessive admiration."

From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2025

It is the section he highlights the most, with characteristically chilling grandiosity.

From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2025

Presented as compelling theater, they brought in-depth insight into our often simplistic attempts to understand the Russian mind, with its complex aspirations, fears and insecurity that can lead to greatness, grandiosity or outright malevolence.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 9, 2024

The fits of energy, tipping into rage and grandiosity, came often and more fiercely, and the sweeping undertow of grief that followed was just as strong.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Related Words

• grandeur
• magnificence