pontificating 1 of 3

pontificating

2 of 3

noun

pontificating

3 of 3

verb

present participle of pontificate
as in ranting
disapproving to speak or express your opinion about something in a way that shows that you think you are always right We had to listen to her pontificate about the best way to raise children.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pontificating
Verb
  • Last week, Fox premiered the new comedy Going Dutch, about a ranting conservative father (Denis Leary) forced to reconnect with his estranged liberal daughter (Taylor Misiak).
    Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
  • The Pats addressed two of their biggest needs, but instead in Tuesday’s paper there’s me, smiling in my headshot and ranting in print, a clueless dope.
    Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 12 Mar. 2024
Adjective
  • The show perpetuates corporate media’s retaliation against those who oppose its leftist, Marxist, Communist, socialist agenda — the ideological myth favored by superficial and supercilious showbiz types ever since All the President’s Men and Network.
    Armond White, National Review, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Arthur is … a lot too, but with a supercilious edge?
    Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Copy Facebook Pinterest Photo by An Rong Xu From my airplane window, the Pearl River unfurled from fogged mountains in a glossy, pale-blue ribbon, a magisterial curve of water that defined the landscape with its flow.
    Bonnie Tsui, AFAR Media, 6 May 2025
  • And currently, there is Charles Gaines’ magisterial new works, Numbers and Trees, The Tanzania Baobabs, at Hauser & Wirth West Hollywood (on view through May 31, 2025).
    Tom Teicholz, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Brian Stelter, and Oliver Darcy, and their partisan squad adored Pelley’s lecture, but ignored what Blanchard pointed out.
    Tim Graham, Boston Herald, 7 June 2025
  • The lectures are in the Oceanside Campus Administration Building, 1 Barnard Drive.
    Linda Mcintosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • The only pontifical name that hasn't been used more than once is Peter, the name of the first pope, though there's no prohibition against doing so.
    Christopher Watson, ABC News, 8 May 2025
  • Gregory and Benedict are also popular pontifical names with 16 and 15 uses, respectively,while Innocent and Leo come close behind with 13 uses each.
    Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
Noun
  • Ultimately, however, Fatu’s interference inadvertently allowed Rollins to get the win, which was the most obvious possible result WWE could have booked.
    Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
  • With the game tied 2-2 at the time, the refs called Bennett for goalie interference, much to the chagrin of the Panthers.
    Michael Russo, New York Times, 7 June 2025
Adjective
  • The exiled poet was criticized for his arrogant attempts to influence British and American foreign policy.
    Graham Robb, The Atlantic, 9 June 2025
  • There is something dangerously, provocatively arrogant about his glorified gang leader looks.
    Timothy Crouse, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2025
Noun
  • There was one part of Howard's character that hit closer to home: teaching.
    Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 14 June 2025
  • Upstairs tutoring and studying spaces, a library and teaching labs are reserved specifically for athletes and feature abundant glass, daylight and an airy sense of openness.
    Sharron van der Meulen, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Pontificating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pontificating. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

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