pomp
Americannoun
-
stately or splendid display; splendor; magnificence.
-
ostentatious or vain display, especially of dignity or importance.
-
pomps, pompous displays, actions, or things.
The official was accompanied by all the pomps of his high position.
-
Archaic. a stately or splendid procession; pageant.
noun
-
stately or magnificent display; ceremonial splendour
-
vain display, esp of dignity or importance
-
obsolete a procession or pageant
Usage
What are other ways to say pomp?
Pomp refers to stately or splendid display, or to display that is ostentatious or vain. When should you use pomp over show, display, or ostentation? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
- pompless adjective
Etymology
Origin of pomp
1275–1325; Middle English < Latin pompa display, parade, procession < Greek pompḗ originally, a sending, akin to pémpein to send
Explanation
Pomp is a ceremonial display, such as you'd find at the Independence Day parade in your town, where brass bands and men and women in full military dress march to patriotic songs, while citizens wave flags and cheer. Graduation ceremonies — with gowns, invocations, speeches, and the ceremonial conferring of degrees — are full of pomp. In fact, graduates traditionally march to a tune called "Pomp and Circumstance." Pomp used to be much more closely linked to the word pompous, or self-important, than it is now — an archaic meaning of pomp is over the top, ostentatious or vain.
Vocabulary lists containing pomp
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Great Gatsby
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Othello
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
He liked a bit of pomp and pizzazz as president.
From Slate • Feb. 16, 2026
State visits are considered a form of soft-power diplomacy, using the pomp of royal hospitality to strengthen relations with important international partners.
From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026
A black, polished sliding door delivers you into a reception room whose pomp is disciplined by marble piers, dark patinated-bronze framing panels, and—most memorably—walls sheathed in gold mosaic and red marble.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026
Monfils, now ranked 110 but who rose to six in the world in his pomp, looked to be struggling physically in glaring sunshine.
From Barron's • Jan. 20, 2026
Except for the jewelry, he was a conservative dresser and carried himself with the unconscious pomp of a man of secure means.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
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.
