1
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude
the pompous waiter served us in the manner of a person doing some poor soul a great favor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in smug
having too high an opinion of oneself
a pompous piano teacher who thought that the music world was lucky to have her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pretentious
self-consciously trying to present an appearance of grandeur or importance
a pompous gambling casino decorated to look like a palace in ancient Rome
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in arrogance
an exaggerated sense of one's importance that shows itself in the making of excessive or unjustified claims
offended by the pompousness of the minor official
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in vanity
an often unjustified feeling of being pleased with oneself or with one's situation or achievements
the pompousness of the self-made billionaire was evident in the gaudy mansion he built for himself
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pompous
Keith Phipps, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
And every scene and song featuring the hilarious Eric Anderson as the pompous and preening Union Gen. George B. McClellan is a comic gem.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2025
Promoting Business Success The Right Way The fear of sounding pompous is what holds some business leaders back from touting their company’s accomplishments.
—John Hall, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
The whole lot of them join forces to stop Thor’s (Chris Hemsworth) pompous brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) — with an alien race called the Chitauri at his command — from conquering the planet.
—Will Harris, EW.com, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pompous
Adjective
Still, this adaptation of an O. Henry story tilts all its sympathies toward the outlaw hero the Cisco Kid (Warner Baxter, in a Best Actor–winning role) and away from the pompous white soldier charged with tracking him down.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
And every scene and song featuring the hilarious Eric Anderson as the pompous and preening Union Gen. George B. McClellan is a comic gem.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2025
Promoting Business Success The Right Way The fear of sounding pompous is what holds some business leaders back from touting their company’s accomplishments.
—John Hall, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
The whole lot of them join forces to stop Thor’s (Chris Hemsworth) pompous brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) — with an alien race called the Chitauri at his command — from conquering the planet.
—Will Harris, EW.com, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pompous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pompous
Adjective
-
Ava Daniels is a young comedy writer who is unable to find work due to an insensitive tweet and her reputation for being self-centered and arrogant.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
-
And the villains, of course, exuding every nastily relatable emotion; the stepmothers and sorceresses are vain, arrogant, dismissive, lonely, rude, and outrageous.—
Darren Franich,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
But my in-laws seemed not to catch this smug look of his, and when my mother-in-law excused herself to go to the bathroom, my father-in-law took the opportunity to go over to his desk and take out one of his special blue envelopes.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
2 Apr. 2025
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But those smug computers obviously haven’t seen a shirtless Illini coach Brad Underwood and his Super Soaker squirt gun.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Buckle up for this globe-trotting, CGI-heavy adventure that combines apocalyptic spectacle and family drama in the least pretentious way possible.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
-
Jimbo, the most ridiculously pretentious egomaniac in rock-star history, seemed so excessive that no actor could play him, but Val Kilmer was up to the task.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Most are due to unnecessary escalation, creating disengagement, authoritative behaviors, arrogance and ego.—
Joao Mendes-Roter,
Forbes.com,
27 Mar. 2025
-
Musk’s casual Friday attire just shows his arrogance and disrespect for American government.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Other highlights include the nine-foot-plus height for the tray ceiling, a walk-in closet with a skylight, and a primary bath that includes a soaking tub, separate large shower, dual sink vanity, and a private room for the commode.—
James Alexander,
Hartford Courant,
20 Apr. 2025
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Why Digital Products Are Changing the Game Entrepreneurial creators are shifting the narrative away from vanity metrics and toward meaningful income.—
Kristen Bousquet,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Jaylon is a proud alumnus of the University of Georgia.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
20 Apr. 2025
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Christine Brown's 6 Children: All About Her Son and Daughters with Sister Wives Costar and Ex Kody Brown In December 2022, Christine shared a proud mom moment with her followers on Instagram, explaining how Truely stood up to a bully at school who was bothering her friend.—
Karli Bendlin,
People.com,
20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Nithyananda was also grandiose, linking himself to long religious and royal lineages.—
Mujib Mashal,
New York Times,
3 Apr. 2025
-
Incorporate grandiose accents like opulent chandeliers, old-world upholstery, and ornate picture frames.—
Isabella Milano,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The hypocrisies of what might be called humanity’s delusions of superiority suggest the need for deeper questioning.—
Billy J. Stratton,
The Conversation,
7 Apr. 2025
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His superiority was self-evident, like the rays of the sun.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
2 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pompous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pompous. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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