1
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude
the pompous waiter served us in the manner of a person doing some poor soul a great favor
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in smug
having too high an opinion of oneself
a pompous piano teacher who thought that the music world was lucky to have her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pretentious
self-consciously trying to present an appearance of grandeur or importance
a pompous gambling casino decorated to look like a palace in ancient Rome
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pompous
The pompous clergyman enters the life of the Bennet family, his distant cousins, with the assumption that, given his respectable position and benefactor, Lady Catherine De Bourgh, one of those daughters would be happy to marry him.
—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
In Italy in the 1960s, announcements about a state-of-the-art highway that would soon connect the economically struggling south with the advanced north were as pompous as the scale of the project.
—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
17 Feb. 2026
When a pompous male customer refused to be waited on by a female server, Bass quietly approached the table.
—
Howard Cohen,
Miami Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
Jeffrey Tambor Known for playing the pompous, self-important mayor of Whoville, Jeffery Tambor also has an esteemed career across television and film.
—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pompous
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
In Italy in the 1960s, announcements about a state-of-the-art highway that would soon connect the economically struggling south with the advanced north were as pompous as the scale of the project.
—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
17 Feb. 2026
When a pompous male customer refused to be waited on by a female server, Bass quietly approached the table.
—
Howard Cohen,
Miami Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
Jeffrey Tambor Known for playing the pompous, self-important mayor of Whoville, Jeffery Tambor also has an esteemed career across television and film.
—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pompous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pompous
Adjective
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West Germany, arrogant attitude adjusted, pounded Chile, 4-1.
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Lasso, in his initial introduction to audiences, wasn’t the warm, pun-loving, inspirational coach audiences would eventually embrace through Apple +, but a slightly arrogant buffoon parodying the average American sports fan.
Adjective
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Historian Sandgruber describes how Alois Hitler wrote his 1895 letters in a deeply smug, anti-clerical manner that overestimated his abilities.
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Li at times plays Cola with a smug impetuousness that belies her naivety about this world to a satisfying degree.
Adjective
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The 101 recipes are chef-smart without being pretentious or complicated.
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But there’s much to like here — from the two leads, the numerous Bay Area shots (the Golden Gate Bridge should get a supporting actor credit), Nick Offerman as a pretentious, cruel chef and Lukas Gage as a clueless cretin love interest/coworker.
Adjective
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Swift will either ignore the noise as usual, or smile at the absurdity as a secure, proud childless cat lady.
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Looking back, Fox is proud to be part of such a perennial classic.
Adjective
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While not quite so grandiose, Valdez says discussions are ongoing regarding the bird’s future.
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Twenty-six years later, Kaufman was tapped to score indie developer Yacht Club Games’s Mina the Hollower, a throwback to the look and feel of 8-bit GBC games but with the type of colossal world, grandiose story, and elaborate gameplay typically reserved to the Soulsborne games.
Adjective
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Tristan Peters made a vain dive for the ball, which got past him and allowed both baserunners to score.
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Sending him out to sell a vague agreement with Iran is unlikely to win over the hawks who wonder why Tehran is getting off so lightly and whether the war was in vain.
Adjective
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Kainerugaba’s associates describe him as a dedicated military officer who often eschews ostentatious displays of wealth.
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Decorated with cool gray tones, marble and leather accents, and crisp white bedding, the rooms feel upscale but not ostentatious.
Adjective
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Self-righteous and self-important, priggish and nagging.
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Only this time the interns are boring Gen Z stereotypes (obsessed with TikTok, too sensitive, too emotional, too self-important).
Cite this Entry
“Pompous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pompous. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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