pompous
adjective
pomp·ous ˈpäm-pəs 
1
: excessively elevated or ornate
pompous rhetoric
2
: having or exhibiting self-importance : arrogant
a pompous politician
3
: relating to or suggestive of pomp or splendor : magnificent
pompously adverb
pompousness noun
Synonyms
- arrogant
- assumptive
- bumptious
- cavalier
- chesty
- haughty
- high-and-mighty
- high-handed
- high-hat
- highfalutin
- hifalutin
- huffish
- huffy
- imperious
- important
- lofty
- lordly
- masterful
- overweening
- peremptory
- presuming
- presumptuous
- pretentious
- self-asserting
- self-assertive
- sniffy
- stiff-necked
- supercilious
- superior
- toplofty
- toploftical
- uppish
- uppity
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
So as the pictures of flooded shanties flicker by on cable news, uptight neatnik Midwestern Lutherans and sensitive northeastern urban sophisticates and pompous media grandees on both coasts express shock at the unexpected squalor of the poverty and bafflement over the slovenly corruption of the civic institutions. 
Rob Long, National Review, 26 Sept. 2005 President Warren Harding was an orator, but his bloviations were an army of pompous phrases moving across the landscape in search of an idea. Harold Evans, New York Times Book Review, 11 Nov. 2001 She never allowed her spirit to become, as, say, Henry Adams did, curdled by long exposure to Washington's tawdry and pompous aspects. George F. Will, Newsweek, 24 May 1999 She found it difficult to talk about her achievements without sounding pompous. the pompous waiter served us in the manner of a person doing some poor soul a great favor
Rob Long, National Review, 26 Sept. 2005 President Warren Harding was an orator, but his bloviations were an army of pompous phrases moving across the landscape in search of an idea. Harold Evans, New York Times Book Review, 11 Nov. 2001 She never allowed her spirit to become, as, say, Henry Adams did, curdled by long exposure to Washington's tawdry and pompous aspects. George F. Will, Newsweek, 24 May 1999 She found it difficult to talk about her achievements without sounding pompous. the pompous waiter served us in the manner of a person doing some poor soul a great favor Recent Examples on the Web His 2014 breakthrough championship, combined with several years just out of the hunt, older, fatherhood and a stark offseason perception change have Power coming into this weekend at Laguna Seca sounding relaxed but aware, confident but not pompous. Nathan Brown, The Indianapolis Star, 9 Sep. 2022 One would-be suitor was an annoying, pompous Lannister, whom neither Viserys nor Rhaenyra could stand. Ryan Parker, Peoplemag, 4 Sep. 2022 The dwarves anchor it and temper some of the show’s more pompous instincts. Sydney Odman, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Aug. 2022 Each of them, moreover, promoted human rights without turning it into a pompous performance. Robert D. Kaplan, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 Okay, better, but wasn’t there something romantic and pompous—silly, to employ a favorite pejorative—in the poem’s very conception? Brad Leithauser, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022 And the bewitched fairy queen Titania and pompous actor Bottom, who Puck temporarily transforms into a donkey, exhibit their spellbound attraction with a wacky twerk-and-grind dance. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Aug. 2022 The book is gassy and pompous and just fraudulent and dumb as hell. Geek's Guide To The Galaxy, WIRED, 15 July 2022 The result is miraculously neither pompous nor cloying. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 14 July 2022 See More
Nathan Brown, The Indianapolis Star, 9 Sep. 2022 One would-be suitor was an annoying, pompous Lannister, whom neither Viserys nor Rhaenyra could stand. Ryan Parker, Peoplemag, 4 Sep. 2022 The dwarves anchor it and temper some of the show’s more pompous instincts. Sydney Odman, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Aug. 2022 Each of them, moreover, promoted human rights without turning it into a pompous performance. Robert D. Kaplan, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 Okay, better, but wasn’t there something romantic and pompous—silly, to employ a favorite pejorative—in the poem’s very conception? Brad Leithauser, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022 And the bewitched fairy queen Titania and pompous actor Bottom, who Puck temporarily transforms into a donkey, exhibit their spellbound attraction with a wacky twerk-and-grind dance. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Aug. 2022 The book is gassy and pompous and just fraudulent and dumb as hell. Geek's Guide To The Galaxy, WIRED, 15 July 2022 The result is miraculously neither pompous nor cloying. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 14 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
see pomp
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
pompous
adjective
pomp·ous ˈpäm-pəs
: having or showing an attitude of someone who thinks he or she is better than other people a pompous person a pompous manner
pompous
adjective
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
Relevance
- arrogant
- cavalier
- supercilious
- pretentious
- superior
- haughty
- bumptious
- uppity
- smug
- domineering
- presumptuous
- high-and-mighty
- assumptive
- sniffy
- imperious
- important
- dominant
- huffy
- uppish
- masterful
- hifalutin
- authoritarian
- chesty
- highfalutin
- overweening
- high-handed
- toplofty
- presuming
- condescending
- snobbish
- lofty
- huffish
- patronizing
- lordly
- peremptory
- dominating
- snooty
- proud
- self-assertive
- impudent
- boastful
- bossy
- snobby
- vainglorious
- cocky
- pontifical
- high-hat
- pontificating
- conceited
- stiff-necked
- narcissistic
- bombastic
- egocentric
- magisterial
- toploftical
- disdainful
- egotistical
- blusterous
- self-asserting
- egotistic
- saucy
- hubristic
- swaggering
- braggart
- impertinent
- vain
- blustery
- egoistic
- egoistical
- prideful
- bragging
- self-satisfied
- self-conceited
- complacent
- braggy
- self-centered
- stuck-up
- self-complacent
- brash
- uninhibited
- self-flattering
- immodest
- extroverted
- self-promoting
- self-loving
- orgulous
- self-pleased
- self-affected
- self-applauding
- unreserved
- forward
- extraverted
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- humble
- modest
- unpretentious
- lowly
- timid
- sheepish
- diffident
- bashful
- shy
- mousy
- subdued
- passive
- demure
- introverted
- deferential
- unassuming
- meek
- unarrogant
- unassertive
- shrinking
- unobtrusive
- unaggressive
- compliant
- submissive
- acquiescent
- self-doubting
- overmodest
- mousey
- quiet
- cringing
- self-critical
- yielding
- cowering
- reserved
- retiring
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
- smug
- arrogant
- proud
- vain
- vainglorious
- conceited
- egotistic
- egotistical
- self-important
- domineering
- selfish
- bigheaded
- egoistic
- prideful
- egoistical
- important
- complacent
- confident
- self-satisfied
- self-conceited
- stuck-up
- biggety
- snobbish
- overweening
- supercilious
- boastful
- cocky
- snooty
- swellheaded
- bombastic
- snobby
- cavalier
- haughty
- bumptious
- blusterous
- consequential
- self-opinionated
- pretentious
- swaggering
- assured
- uppity
- braggart
- blustery
- braggy
- pontifical
- biggity
- assumptive
- disdainful
- bragging
- overconfident
- high-and-mighty
- uppish
- huffy
- chesty
- masterful
- superior
- presumptuous
- imperious
- condescending
- toplofty
- fastuous
- holier-than-thou
- patronizing
- hifalutin
- highfalutin
- presuming
- lordly
- peremptory
- lofty
- high-handed
- self-congratulatory
- self-assertive
- self-glorifying
- high-hat
- self-contented
- self-assured
- toploftical
- self-dramatizing
- self-confident
- self-centered
- self-promoting
- self-asserting
- self-engrossed
- self-gratulatory
- self-adulatory
- self-applauding
- self-affected
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- humble
- modest
- diffident
- timid
- egoless
- meek
- unassertive
- unassuming
- uncomplacent
- unpretentious
- sheepish
- self-doubting
- bashful
- mousy
- self-critical
- self-reproachful
- shy
- demure
- introverted
- self-distrustful
- self-reproving
- overmodest
- mousey
- retiring
- unarrogant
- shrinking
- down-to-earth
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
- arrogant
- pretentious
- grandiose
- ostentatious
- smug
- proud
- highfalutin
- snippy
- hifalutin
- affected
- cavalier
- la-de-da
- la-di-da
- lah-di-dah
- high-minded
- vainglorious
- conceited
- grandiloquent
- egotistic
- bumptious
- snobbish
- supercilious
- sententious
- vain
- uppity
- haughty
- snobby
- presumptuous
- egotistical
- self-important
- confident
- lah-de-dah
- lah-dee-dah
- egoistic
- prideful
- imperious
- rude
- aggressive
- boastful
- complacent
- egoistical
- high-and-mighty
- disdainful
- cocky
- insolent
- impudent
- assertive
- overweening
- self-aggrandizing
- important
- self-satisfied
- self-conceited
- braggart
- hoity-toity
- self-obsessed
- self-centered
- flamboyant
- showy
- self-complacent
- brassy
- high-sounding
- self-glorifying
- cheeky
- gaudy
- high-handed
- high-flown
- self-dramatizing
- superior
- bragging
- high-toned
- airy
- self-promoting
- stuck-up
- glitzy
- lordly
- flashy
- garish
- self-assertive
- sure
- audacious
- high-hat
- self-pleased
- self-assured
- self-confident
- self-asserting
- flaunting
- bold
- splashy
- forward
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- modest
- unpretentious
- humble
- unassuming
- meek
- unassertive
- lowly
- homely
- demure
- timid
- diffident
- passive
- bashful
- retiring
- mousy
- quiet
- shy
- down-to-earth
- reserved
- overmodest
- mousey
- putting over on
- putting over on someone
- putting paid to
- putting someone on a pedestal
- putting someone on to
- putting someone up to
- putting something behind
- putting something behind oneself
- putting something down to
- putting something over on
- putting something over on someone
- putting something together with
- putting the finishing touches
- putting the heat on
- putting the kibosh on
- putting the squeeze on
- putting through
- putting to sleep
- putting together
- putting together with
- putting up
- putting up a front
- putting up to
- putting up with
- putting/placing (someone) on a pedestal