1
as in rhetoric
boastful speech or writing
the other world leaders at the international conference had little interest in being subjected to the president's bombast
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in grandiloquence
language that is impressive-sounding but not meaningful or sincere
you need less bombast and more substance in this speech on human rights
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bombast
McMahon had a career’s worth of lessons in the virtues of bombast, and also in the dangers of it.
—
Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
That’s not just because Miller’s presence rings bittersweet given the actor’s real life struggles and controversies today, but also because this relatively modest affair lacks most of Levinson’s aesthetic and bombast.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
Beirut — Strip away the bombast and superlatives.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
For all their bombast, the ICE and Border Patrol agents seemed to work no harder than any other faceless federal bureaucrats.
—Daniel Brook, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bombast
Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
That’s not just because Miller’s presence rings bittersweet given the actor’s real life struggles and controversies today, but also because this relatively modest affair lacks most of Levinson’s aesthetic and bombast.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
Beirut — Strip away the bombast and superlatives.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
For all their bombast, the ICE and Border Patrol agents seemed to work no harder than any other faceless federal bureaucrats.
—Daniel Brook, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bombast
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bombast
Noun
-
Healey, a former two-term attorney general, is completely disregarding public safety by her reckless rhetoric and actions – all to win another election.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
4 June 2026
-
The escalating rhetoric comes at a critical moment for the two countries, which next month will embark on a review of their free trade agreement with Canada.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
Noun
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Much of that singularity was centered in McCarthy’s prose, which ricocheted—sometimes gracefully, sometimes jarringly—between gruff matter-of-factness and soaring, biblical grandiloquence.—
Alex Shephard,
The New Republic,
13 June 2023
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Several of them can fly, and all have at least a touch of grandiloquence to them.—
Michael Nordine,
Variety,
11 Aug. 2022
Noun
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This is another stride of lyricism, philosophy, I’m-the-best braggadocio, bravado.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
But for everything Gates said that might appeal to a frustrated Democrat like me, his Huntington Beach braggadocio continually won out.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Hammy magniloquence risks alienating viewers, not just for an evening but for life, as does obscurity.—
The Economist,
The Economist,
15 Mar. 2018
Noun
-
Western, for his part, had by this time recovered something of his usual bluster, and began again upon the subject of Blifil, commending his estate and his family with great earnestness, as though these considerations alone ought to have settled the matter long since.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
2 June 2026
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The blue law bluster wasn’t a total victory for the Westport Country Playhouse.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
26 May 2026
Noun
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In December 2024, Lipa posted photos featuring a diamond ring on her left ring finger, spurring engagement chatter.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
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There’s plenty of chatter behind the scenes about more stories to come after the torrent of revelations since Platner announced his campaign.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bombast.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bombast. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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