variants
also hifalutin
1
as in rhetoric
full of fine words and fancy expressions
his highfalutin paean to the working class failed to win over a crowd that wanted to hear down-to-earth proposals for economic relief
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude
her highfalutin relatives from New York made the snide remark that her little house "has that lived-in look"
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in superior
having or displaying feelings of scorn for what is regarded as beneath oneself
refused to be intimidated by the highfalutin manner of the sales staff in the fashionable boutique
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in smug
self-consciously trying to present an appearance of grandeur or importance
"fine Southern cuisine" sounds a bit highfalutin for a barbecue shack
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of highfalutin
There was nothing highfalutin or fake about her.
—
Charles Bethea, The New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2025
In the highfalutin world of fine art, labels matter.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
This sounds so highfalutin, but whatever.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2025
Newsom, for all his highfalutin rhetoric about championing all Californians, just can’t quit the gentry and the insiders who have made his career.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for highfalutin
Charles Bethea, The New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2025
In the highfalutin world of fine art, labels matter.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
This sounds so highfalutin, but whatever.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2025
Newsom, for all his highfalutin rhetoric about championing all Californians, just can’t quit the gentry and the insiders who have made his career.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for highfalutin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for highfalutin
Adjective
-
In 2022, Ackles joined the cast of Prime Video's The Boys as arrogant superhero Soldier Boy.—
Brianne Tracy,
People.com,
4 July 2025
-
Her larger-than-life ego and past as a shaman make Player 044 come off as arrogant and selfish, getting under just about everyone's skin.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
4 July 2025
Adjective
-
The idea that no one was born inherently superior, that status wasn’t tied to birth but to citizenship and shared rights, was a radical break in human history and a decisive rejection of Old World European ideology.—
Jared Nordlund,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 July 2025
-
Research has found that active kids develop superior cognitive skills, get better grades, and are more likely to stay on task than kids who are less active.—
Henry Abbott,
The Atlantic,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
In Superman, Bennett steps into the shoes of Steve Lombard, the Daily Planet's smug sports reporter.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
28 June 2025
-
One of Ferrell’s biggest and best movies was this hilarious racing spoof, which followed the rise and fall and rise of a smug champion racer, his complicated friendship with best pal and fellow racer John C. Reilly, and his rivalry with an effete, snotty Frenchman played by Sacha Baron Cohen.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
Trump and Carter are hardly the first pair of presidents to pour rhetorical oil on troubled waters, but the historical results, as with today, are mixed at best.—
Bruce Yandle,
Twin Cities,
10 July 2025
-
Current leaders would be wise to follow Kennedy’s exemplary rhetorical model when facing and talking publicly about today’s international crises.—
Richard Cherwitz,
Hartford Courant,
8 July 2025
Adjective
-
This is important, because academic research has shown that financial literacy educational programs need to generate a sense of excitement in order to have an impact.—
Hersh Shefrin,
Forbes.com,
6 July 2025
-
Yes, even more important than excellence in math and science.—
Linda McMahon,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 July 2025
Adjective
-
In the post, the proud single mom shared throwback photos of her with her eldest son and daughter.—
Kayla Grant,
People.com,
14 July 2025
-
Old Fitzgerald, the once proud brand with a century-long legacy, was tossed into the Bernheim sale like an extra trading card between kids to sweeten the deal, not to headline it.—
Chris Perugini,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
Sitting in a room full of pretentious ex-friends and mentally eviscerating them all is a universal human experience.—
Literary Hub
July 1,
Literary Hub,
1 July 2025
-
And a slightly surreal, fantastical closing scene is puzzling and pretentious rather than provocative.—
Stephen Farber,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2025
Adjective
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The husband’s cavalier response is also something that needs to be addressed in therapy.—
Eric Thomas,
Sun Sentinel,
17 May 2025
-
Basset hounds and cavalier King Charles spaniels are a great match for a more chilled lifestyle, according to Smith.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Highfalutin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/highfalutin. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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