as in affectation
the quality or state of appearing or trying to appear more important or more valuable than is the case
I'd rather be thought of as a person with simple integrity, not a person given to grandiosity and exaggeration
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of grandiosity
But self-indulgence is the whole point of This Music May Contain Hope, and the album wouldn’t work at all without her flamboyant grandiosity.
—
Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2026
McCrery had introduced the Corinthian order to the ballroom entrance, projecting a grandiosity above and beyond that of the main house, which uses the more modest and domestic Ionic order.
—Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Nini or Juicy sneaking in there would just detract from the grandiosity of those three going at it in the finale.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2026
But for individuals experiencing schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, that validation may amplify paranoia, grandiosity, or self-destructive thinking.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2026
That grandiosity simmers down into terrifying chase soundtracks and menacing hunter's heartbeats as the movie continues, but the after-image of those glorious strings lingers through the rest of the franchise.
—Alex Galbraith, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026
Critics such as economist Jeffrey Sachs have warned that the NSS is grounded in grandiosity and Machiavellianism, substituting coercion for cooperation and dominance for legitimacy.
—Alejandro Reyes, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
Ancher avoided grandiosity, said Lucy Waterson in Apollo.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 29 Jan. 2026
Mise-en-scène remains crucial to maintaining the grandiosity of the Marci experience—his reference pool and peerless lifestyle raps simultaneously enhance each other.
—Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 28 Jan. 2026
Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2026
McCrery had introduced the Corinthian order to the ballroom entrance, projecting a grandiosity above and beyond that of the main house, which uses the more modest and domestic Ionic order.
—Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Nini or Juicy sneaking in there would just detract from the grandiosity of those three going at it in the finale.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2026
But for individuals experiencing schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, that validation may amplify paranoia, grandiosity, or self-destructive thinking.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2026
That grandiosity simmers down into terrifying chase soundtracks and menacing hunter's heartbeats as the movie continues, but the after-image of those glorious strings lingers through the rest of the franchise.
—Alex Galbraith, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026
Critics such as economist Jeffrey Sachs have warned that the NSS is grounded in grandiosity and Machiavellianism, substituting coercion for cooperation and dominance for legitimacy.
—Alejandro Reyes, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
Ancher avoided grandiosity, said Lucy Waterson in Apollo.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 29 Jan. 2026
Mise-en-scène remains crucial to maintaining the grandiosity of the Marci experience—his reference pool and peerless lifestyle raps simultaneously enhance each other.
—Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 28 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grandiosity
Noun
-
Slumming with her sister in San Francisco after her life with her Madoff-like ex in New York implodes, Jasmine Francis isn't quite willing to let go of the affectations that come with living in high society.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
-
For the most part though, For the First Time, Again is weighed down by oversinging and emotional affectation.—
Millan Verma,
Pitchfork,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Money and jealousy are the root of the play’s evils, with more deadly sins released in a world of posh, uppity arrogance.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
In a study with 355 participants, the authors narrowed their list to 16 warning signs that predicted violence that occurred within six months — many of them having to do with entitlement, arrogance, control and emotional immaturity.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The house did not have a European or East Coast seriousness, but rather a Californian dimension rooted in casualness, improvisation, and lack of pretension.—
Rem Koolhaas,
Artforum,
26 Mar. 2026
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Traditionally, Oscars hosts have been at their best when puncturing the pretensions of the stars in attendance, but for the most part, host Conan O’Brien bought into their sense of their own righteousness.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
One thing to keep in mind is that the bathrooms are open-concept, flowing into the bedroom and living area with no door separating the sink/vanity.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Clavicular is like a blend of Dorian Gray and Patrick Bateman, those fictional creations of gay authors out to probe the sinister side of male vanity.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Maybe the pretense was comforting to him, too.—
Cassandra Neyenesch,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
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As architectural fashion has shifted, the software is no longer associated with complex geometry, and the pretense that digital tools might liberate architects—spurring them to new heights of creativity—has faded.—
Julian Rose,
Artforum,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grandiosity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grandiosity. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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