1
as in rhetoric
boastful speech or writing
his taking credit for the rescue was mostly hot air, since the boat was actually saved by the Coast Guard
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in wind
language that is impressive-sounding but not meaningful or sincere
her campaign promise to "fight for the people" showed a taste for stale hot air
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of hot air
This heat dome — in which high pressure is acting like a pot lid trapping hot air over a region — will leave Flagstaff, Arizona, with 11 or 12 straight days of temperatures higher than the city's previous March record, said meteorologist Jeff Masters of Yale Climate Connections.
—
ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
This week’s heat dome is caused by a stubborn ridge of high pressure that has trapped hot air over the West like a lid on a pot.
—Denise Chow, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
Butterss’ bassline works like the ropes that keep a hot air balloon tethered to earth.
—Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 17 Mar. 2026
Weekend activities include the tulip trolley, live entertainment, food trucks, animal barn, and hot air balloon rides when the weather permits.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hot air
ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
This week’s heat dome is caused by a stubborn ridge of high pressure that has trapped hot air over the West like a lid on a pot.
—Denise Chow, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
Butterss’ bassline works like the ropes that keep a hot air balloon tethered to earth.
—Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 17 Mar. 2026
Weekend activities include the tulip trolley, live entertainment, food trucks, animal barn, and hot air balloon rides when the weather permits.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hot air
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hot air
Noun
-
Like night one in Los Angeles, the usually unfiltered artist offered no commentary on the controversy and backlash surrounding him after years of antisemitic rhetoric, mental health struggles, and his public apology in a Wall Street Journal ad this past January for his antisemitic outbursts.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The rapper previously shared rhetoric widely deemed as antisemitic on social media, used a 2025 Super Bowl ad to redirect viewers to a website selling a $20 swastika T-shirt, and dropped a song praising Adolf Hitler.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
His early career was marked by the sort of gasconade many fans of the NFL had come to adore and many MLB executives and players had come to loathe.—
Robert Klemko,
The MMQB,
13 July 2017
Noun
-
If the turquoise waters of the Caribbean are calling your name, consider Bonaire as your spring break brag.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The infamous length of Infinite Jest is, in this sense, a central feature of its ethic: not bigness as brag but duration as discipline.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Like all the best restaurants in Rome, Piatto Romano welcomes a steady stream of Italians for lunch and dinner, who fill the restaurant with chatter and laughter.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The chatter around streaming bots grew noticeably louder in August 2025, when a prison phone call between Young Thug and an unidentified associate leaked online.—
Kyle Eustice,
VIBE.com,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Hammy magniloquence risks alienating viewers, not just for an evening but for life, as does obscurity.—
The Economist,
The Economist,
15 Mar. 2018
Noun
-
But the response to Alcock in many online corners has been as if the actress went on a militant feminist rant slamming all male fans and threw a massive pity party for herself.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Apr. 2026
-
More recently, the controversial designer John Galliano used the house’s reticence as a refuge to rebuild his reputation after a series of antisemitic rants led to his ouster from French fashion monolith Dior in 2011.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hot air.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hot%20air. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
