bombastic

adjective

bom·​bas·​tic bäm-ˈba-stik How to pronounce bombastic (audio)
Synonyms of bombasticnext
: marked by or given to speech or writing that is given exaggerated importance by artificial or empty means : marked by or given to bombast : pompous, overblown
bombastically
bäm-ˈba-sti-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce bombastic (audio)
adverb

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of bombastic in a Sentence

a bombastic speech intended to impress the voters in her congressional district
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
O’Brien has a very specific brand of humor that mixes the bombastic and the surreal with a biting sharpness and a healthy dose of self depreciation. — Rosa Escandon, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025 Even in recognizing his affinity for James Cagney, whose button-nose and short stature contrasted against his bombastic presence, Hackman is registering the type of Hollywood actor that created a space for themselves rather than worked to fit any mold. — Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 1 Mar. 2025 The bottom line: State law gives the board significant authority over election operations, and Heap's bombastic negotiation approach is unlikely to encourage the supervisors to hand over that power. — Jessica Boehm, Axios, 26 Feb. 2025 Green, the bombastic Warriors star, made headlines over the All-Star break by declaring that the Warriors are going to win the championship. — Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 19 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bombastic

Word History

Etymology

bombast + -ic entry 1

First Known Use

1660, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bombastic was in 1660

Rhymes for bombastic

See All Rhymes for bombastic

Browse Nearby Words

bombastic
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bombastic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bombastic. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on bombastic

Nglish: Translation of bombastic for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Superb Owl Words

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things
See More

Popular Features

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

9 Superb Owl Words

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
girl-pencil-test
Challenging Standardized Test Words Quiz Vol. 3 You’re on your own for the math section.
See All