If you describe someone as pompous, you mean that they behave or speak in a very serious way because they think they are more important than they really are.
[disapproval]
He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities.
pompouslyadverb [usually ADVERB with verb]
Robin said pompously that he had an important business appointment.
2. adjective
A pompous building or ceremony is very grand and elaborate.
The service was grand without being pompous.
More Synonyms of pompous
pompous in British English
(ˈpɒmpəs)
adjective
1.
exaggeratedly or ostentatiously dignified or self-important
2.
ostentatiously lofty in style
a pompous speech
3. rare
characterized by ceremonial pomp or splendour
Derived forms
pompously (ˈpompously)
adverb
pompousness (ˈpompousness)
noun
pompous in American English
(ˈpɑmpəs)
adjective
1. Archaic
full of pomp; stately
2.
characterized by exaggerated stateliness; pretentious, as in speech or manner; self-important
Derived forms
pompously (ˈpompously)
adverb
pompousness (ˈpompousness)
noun
Word origin
ME < MFr pompeus < LL pomposus < L pompa: see pomp
Examples of 'pompous' in a sentence
pompous
To set poetry to drama makes the verse pompous and pretentious.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
We found him arrogant and pompous.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He liked to be rather pompous.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
How arrogant and pompous of him, the coalition is much bigger than one person.
The Sun (2010)
This time, rugby has balanced pompous speeches with real measures.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Music critics have often poured scorn on progressive rock for being boring, pompous and pretentious.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
But that's a rather pompous description of a show which is done with a delightfully light touch.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
I am not talking in this arrogant and pompous manner.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
He was a bit pompous.
Max Arthur Lost Voices of the Edwardians: 19011910 in the words of the Men & Women Who WereThere (2006)
Then I realised that was a bit pompous.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Progressive rock has always been an easy target for the music critics ready to pour scorn on it for being boring, pompous and pretentious.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
As an excuse, it manages to be simultaneously vague, slightly pompous and entirely meaningless.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In other languages
pompous
British English: pompous ADJECTIVE
If you describe someone as pompous, you mean that they behave or speak in a very serious way because they think they are more important than they really are.
He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities.
American English: pompous
Brazilian Portuguese: pomposo
Chinese: 爱摆架子的
European Spanish: pomposo
French: pompeux
German: aufgeblasen
Italian: pomposo
Japanese: もったいぶった
Korean: 거만한
European Portuguese: pomposo
Latin American Spanish: pomposo
Chinese translation of 'pompous'
pompous
(ˈpɔmpəs) (pej)
adj
[person]自大的 (zìdà de)
[speech, comment, article, gesture]浮夸的 (fúkuā de)
1 (adjective)
Definition
foolishly dignified or self-important
What a pompous little man he is.
Synonyms
self-important
He was self-important, vain and ignorant.
affected
She passed by with an affected air and a disdainful look.
arrogant
an air of arrogant indifference
pretentious
He talked a lot of pretentious twaddle about modern art.
bloated
grandiose
Not one of his grandiose plans has ever come to anything.
imperious
She gave him a witheringly imperious look.
showy
They were smart but not showy.
overbearing
an arrogant and overbearing man
ostentatious
the ostentatious lifestyle of the super-rich
puffed up
He was too puffed up with his own importance.
portentous
There was nothing portentous or solemn about him.
magisterial
supercilious
His manner is supercilious and arrogant.
pontifical
He's a little bit pontifical, and it can get on your nerves.
vainglorious
Opposites
simple
,
natural
,
modest
,
humble
,
unaffected
,
unpretentious
,
self-effacing
2 (adjective)
Definition
foolishly grand in style
She winced at his pompous phraseology.
Synonyms
grandiloquent
She attacked her colleagues for indulging in `grandiloquent' language.
high-flown
Many personnel were put off by such high-flown rhetoric.
inflated
Some of the most inflated prose is held up for ridicule.
windy
I have a horror of turning into a windy old bore.
overblown
The book contains a heavy dose of overblown lyrical description.
turgid
He used to make dull, turgid and boring speeches.
bombastic
the bombastic style of his oratory
boastful
flatulent
flatulent oratory and bar-room barracking
arty-farty (informal)
fustian
orotund
magniloquent
He waxed magniloquent on the cultivation of turnips.
Opposites
direct
,
simple
,
succinct
,
plain-spoken
Additional synonyms
in the sense of affected
Definition
pretended
She passed by with an affected air and a disdainful look.
Synonyms
pretended,
artificial,
contrived,
put-on,
assumed,
mannered,
studied,
precious,
stiff,
simulated,
mincing,
sham,
unnatural,
pompous,
pretentious,
counterfeit,
feigned,
spurious,
conceited,
insincere,
camp (informal),
la-di-da (informal),
arty-farty (informal),
phoney or phony (informal)
in the sense of arrogant
Definition
having an exaggerated opinion of one's own importance or ability
an air of arrogant indifference
Synonyms
conceited,
lordly,
assuming,
proud,
swaggering,
pompous,
pretentious,
stuck up (informal),
cocky,
contemptuous,
blustering,
imperious,
overbearing,
haughty,
scornful,
puffed up,
egotistical,
disdainful,
self-important,
presumptuous,
high-handed,
insolent,
supercilious,
high and mighty (informal),
overweening,
immodest,
swollen-headed,
bigheaded (informal),
uppish (British, informal),
too big for your boots or breeches
in the sense of bombastic
the bombastic style of his oratory
Synonyms
grandiloquent,
inflated,
ranting,
windy,
high-flown,
pompous,
grandiose,
histrionic,
wordy,
verbose,
declamatory,
fustian,
magniloquent
Nearby words of
pompous
polychromatic
pomp
pomposity
pompous
ponce
pond
ponder
Synonyms of 'pompous'
pompous
Explore 'pompous' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of flatulent
flatulent oratory and bar-room barracking
Synonyms
pretentious,
swollen,
inflated,
tedious,
pompous,
tiresome,
long-winded,
turgid,
wordy,
bombastic,
prolix
in the sense of grandiose
Definition
impressive, or meant to impress
Not one of his grandiose plans has ever come to anything.
Synonyms
pretentious,
ambitious,
extravagant,
flamboyant,
high-flown,
pompous,
showy,
ostentatious,
bombastic
in the sense of high-flown
Definition
extravagant or pretentious
Many personnel were put off by such high-flown rhetoric.
Synonyms
extravagant,
elaborate,
pretentious,
exaggerated,
inflated,
lofty,
grandiose,
overblown,
florid,
high-falutin (informal),
arty-farty (informal),
magniloquent
in the sense of imperious
Definition
used to being obeyed
She gave him a witheringly imperious look.
Synonyms
domineering,
dictatorial,
bossy (informal),
haughty,
lordly,
commanding,
arrogant,
authoritative,
autocratic,
overbearing,
tyrannical,
magisterial,
despotic,
high-handed,
overweening,
tyrannous
in the sense of inflated
Some of the most inflated prose is held up for ridicule.
Synonyms
elaborate,
involved,
fancy,
detailed,
complex,
complicated,
decorated,
extravagant,
ornamented,
high-flown,
ornate,
fussy,
showy,
ostentatious,
bombastic,
hyperbolic,
grandiloquent
in the sense of magniloquent
Definition
(of speech) excessively grand, literary, and pompous
He waxed magniloquent on the cultivation of turnips.
Synonyms
pompous,
elevated,
lofty,
rhetorical,
high-flown,
pretentious,
exalted (informal),
overblown,
stilted,
turgid,
bombastic,
sonorous,
grandiloquent,
high-sounding,
declamatory,
arty-farty (informal),
orotund
in the sense of ostentatious
the ostentatious lifestyle of the super-rich
Synonyms
pretentious,
extravagant,
flamboyant,
flash (informal),
loud,
dashing,
inflated,
conspicuous,
vulgar,
brash,
high-flown,
flashy,
pompous,
flaunted,
flaunting,
grandiose,
crass,
gaudy,
showy,
swanky (informal),
snobbish,
puffed up,
specious,
boastful,
obtrusive,
highfalutin (informal),
arty-farty (informal),
magniloquent,
bling (slang)
in the sense of overbearing
Definition
imposing one's views in an unpleasant or forceful manner
an arrogant and overbearing man
Synonyms
domineering,
lordly,
superior,
arrogant,
authoritarian,
oppressive,
autocratic,
masterful,
dictatorial,
coercive,
bossy (informal),
imperious,
haughty,
tyrannical,
magisterial,
despotic,
high-handed,
peremptory,
supercilious,
officious,
overweening,
iron-handed
in the sense of overblown
The book contains a heavy dose of overblown lyrical description.
Synonyms
inflated,
rhetorical,
high-flown,
pompous,
pretentious,
flowery,
florid,
turgid,
bombastic,
windy,
grandiloquent,
high-sounding,
fustian,
orotund,
magniloquent,
aureate,
euphuistic
in the sense of pontifical
Definition
pompous or dogmatic in manner
He's a little bit pontifical, and it can get on your nerves.
Synonyms
pompous,
pretentious,
bloated,
dogmatic,
condescending,
imperious,
overbearing,
portentous,
magisterial,
self-important
Additional synonyms
in the sense of portentous
Definition
self-important or pompous
There was nothing portentous or solemn about him.
Synonyms
pompous,
solemn,
ponderous,
self-important,
pontifical
in the sense of pretentious
Definition
vulgarly showy
He talked a lot of pretentious twaddle about modern art.
Synonyms
affected,
mannered,
exaggerated,
pompous,
assuming,
hollow,
inflated,
extravagant,
high-flown,
flaunting,
grandiose,
conceited,
showy,
ostentatious,
snobbish,
puffed up,
bombastic,
specious,
grandiloquent,
vainglorious,
high-sounding,
highfalutin (informal),
overambitious,
arty-farty (informal),
magniloquent
in the sense of puffed up
He was too puffed up with his own importance.
Synonyms
swollen-headed,
proud,
high and mighty (informal),
bigheaded (informal),
full of yourself,
too big for your boots
in the sense of showy
Definition
colourful, bright in appearance, and very noticeable, and perhaps rather vulgar
They were smart but not showy.
Synonyms
ostentatious,
flamboyant,
flashy,
flash (informal),
loud,
over the top (informal),
brash,
pompous,
pretentious,
gaudy,
garish,
tawdry,
splashy (informal),
tinselly
in the sense of supercilious
Definition
behaving in a superior and arrogant manner
His manner is supercilious and arrogant.
Synonyms
scornful,
arrogant,
contemptuous,
disdainful,
lordly,
proud,
lofty,
stuck-up (informal),
patronizing,
condescending,
imperious,
overbearing,
snooty (informal),
haughty,
high and mighty (informal),
vainglorious,
toffee-nosed (slang, British),
hoity-toity (informal),
uppish (British, informal)
in the sense of turgid
Definition
(of language) pompous, boring, and hard to understand