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
Relevance
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 pompousness
Any claim for Swift’s genius should reckon with her lapses into imprecision and pompousness.
—
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pompousness
Noun
-
This arrogance is not just limited to tech titans.—
Christian Josi,
Boston Herald,
31 Aug. 2025
-
These traits do not always show up as arrogance.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
There was no vanity in her, which is what Fran McDormand had.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
9 Sep. 2025
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The homeowner’s suite, comprising a large bedroom, a sitting/dressing room, lots of closet space, and a bathroom with marble vanities, spills onto a deck overlooking the yard.—
Mark David,
Robb Report,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Timothy Olyphant, again, sells the superiority well.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
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Originally from Ohio, Howard would whisper-speak his lectures to a crowded room, describing with fatigued superiority people (including his family) who couldn’t properly appreciate Nijinsky.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Thanks to his clever punchlines that carry zero sting, the biggest names in TV can leave the ceremony with unbruised egos.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
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This wasn’t a choice that should have been left to an individual’s ego, an individual’s ambition.—
StyleCaster Editors,
StyleCaster,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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As if back in character, Colfer sported a massive smile, while O'Malley pointed his finger at Colfer in pride with a poker face.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Sep. 2025
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Have a few rounds of Guinness pulled with pride, maybe a scotch sour.—
The Bon Appétit Staff,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pompousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pompousness. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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