as in rhetorical
marked by the use of impressive-sounding but mostly meaningless words and phrases
on election night TV's self-important pundits let loose a fusillade of flatulent pontifications
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Recent Examples of flatulent
Gary Oldman plays Jackson Lamb in the series, the curmudgeonly and flatulent chief of Slough House where all the MI5 misfits are sent.
—
Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Led by Gary Oldman’s flatulent and sardonic Jackson Lamb, the ‘slow horses’ of Slough House prove weirdly effective, often confounding MI5’s Second Desk Diana Taverner (Kristen Scott-Thomas) and, as of Season 4, its First Desk Claude Whelan (James Tallis).
—Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 29 July 2025
This time, the technique is turned upon classic alien invasion movies of the Golden Age with liberal helpings of pure human stupidity as a seemingly peaceful first contact moment goes awry and gets bloody, leading to a solar system-ending flatulent finish.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 17 May 2025
The waggish jeer that subverts the Reich Chancellery, designed by Adolf Hitler's chief architect, Albert Speer, must have sent the woman who chastises children for flatulent folly into a tizzy.
—Natasha Gural, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flatulent
Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Led by Gary Oldman’s flatulent and sardonic Jackson Lamb, the ‘slow horses’ of Slough House prove weirdly effective, often confounding MI5’s Second Desk Diana Taverner (Kristen Scott-Thomas) and, as of Season 4, its First Desk Claude Whelan (James Tallis).
—Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 29 July 2025
This time, the technique is turned upon classic alien invasion movies of the Golden Age with liberal helpings of pure human stupidity as a seemingly peaceful first contact moment goes awry and gets bloody, leading to a solar system-ending flatulent finish.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 17 May 2025
The waggish jeer that subverts the Reich Chancellery, designed by Adolf Hitler's chief architect, Albert Speer, must have sent the woman who chastises children for flatulent folly into a tizzy.
—Natasha Gural, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flatulent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flatulent
Adjective
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In Cuba today, Marxist bromides serve as nothing more than rhetorical cover for corruption.—
Quico Toro,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
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Such rhetoric shifts focus away from the perpetrator and the broader failures that allow violent crime to persist.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Trekking guides and their businesses get a boost from inflated invoices, the outlet suggested.—
Alex Nitzberg,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
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However, California’s petroleum market watchdog is warning that some of the inflated price may be due to price gouging, my colleague Blanca Begert reports.—
Noah Haggerty,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The closeout crew will then pressurize the Crew Module side hatch with gaseous nitrogen so that it can be quickly opened in the event of an emergency exit.—
Miles Doran,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
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The same is true for gaseous anhydrous ammonia fertilizer.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Aside from trying a different type of baby bottle or feeding position, there are other ways to soothe a gassy baby.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Jan. 2026
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On one end of the spectrum, feeling backed up can leave you bloated, sluggish, gassy and uncomfortable.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
1 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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The bishops further authorized a new edition of the Roman Pontifical for pontifical Masses, expected to be completed by 2027, with Vatican approval pending for some rites, according to the Catholic News Agency.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Nov. 2025
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In its report, the pontifical commission highlights failures in the Italian church.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The three-minute-plus earworm is more of a bombastic wakeup call than a nursery rhyme.—
Jae-Ha Kim,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
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Doucette's bombastic proclamation was vindicated in his standout performance, earning tournament MVP honors.—
Jim Reineking,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flatulent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flatulent. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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