grandiose

adjective

gran·di·ose ˈgran-dē-ˌōs How to pronounce grandiose (audio)

ˌgran-dē-ˈōs How to pronounce grandiose (audio)

: characterized by affectation of grandeur or splendor or by absurd exaggeration

They did not believe his grandiose claims.

: impressive because of uncommon largeness, scope, effect, or grandeur

had grandiose plans for the city

grandiosely adverb

grandioseness noun

grandiosity

ˌgran-dē-ˈä-sə-tē How to pronounce grandiose (audio)

noun

Did you know?

When it comes to bigness, there’s grand and then there’s grandiose. Both words can be used to describe something impressive in size, scope, or effect, but while grand may lend its noun a bit of dignity (i.e., “we had a grand time”), grandiose often implies a whiff of pretension. The difference between a grand plan for the city park and a grandiose one, for example, might be the difference between a tasteful fountain and a garden full of topiaries cut in the shapes of 19th century literary figures. So if you’re choosing between the two, a helpful mnemonic might be that the extra letters in grandiose suggest that one’s ideas, claims, promises, schemes, dreams—you get the idea—are a bit extra.

Example Sentences

He was full of grandiose ideas. a grandiose plan to upgrade the entire interstate highway system in 10 years

Recent Examples on the Web The music is grandiose and thrilling, and sells how big the show wants to be, no matter how big your screen might be.

Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Aug. 2022 This part of the film is the least sumptuous and grandiose — and the most affecting.

Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 23 Aug. 2022 When real estate mogul Howard Ruby sold his grandiose Bel Air mansion for $35 million last month, many wondered what would become of the antique furniture and artwork within.

Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 15 Aug. 2022 There was no game or practice scheduled, just a grandiose welcome party for a 21-year-old.

Joshua Robinson, WSJ, 25 Apr. 2022 That said, the Volvo's back seat lacks the grandiose luxury typical of a stretch job.

Greg Fink, Car and Driver, 23 Mar. 2022 Quesada had just discovered the world of psychedelic baladas that flourished beginning in the late Sixties, when Latin love songs began to sound even more grandiose than usual, bordering on the delirious.

Ernesto Lechner, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2022 Meant to be part of grandiose plans to make Kinshasa a glittering capital, the building was constructed in the 1970s as the International Trade Center but soon went into disrepair and sat abandoned and decaying for years.

New York Times, 7 Dec. 2021 Both wars morphed into something more grandiose and utterly unachievable — the transformation of Afghanistan and Iraq into friendly, governable, democratic states.

Michael Krepon, Forbes, 2 May 2022 See More

grandiose

adjective

as in epic

large and impressive in size, grandeur, extent, or conception a grandiose plan to upgrade the entire interstate highway system in 10 years

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

epic
magnificent
glorious
majestic
imposing
grand
monumental
massive
regal
impressive
royal
proud
imperial
colossal
heroic
lavish
heroical
wonderful
luxurious
operatic
splendid
noble
august
baronial
gallant
extravagant
formidable
stately
tremendous
remarkable
sublime
marvelous
cosmic
stupendous
gorgeous
extraordinary
monstrous
awesome
magnific
marvellous
apocalyptic
wondrous
Homeric
superb
overblown
inflated
terrific
prodigious
pompous
opulent
sumptuous
cosmical
palatial
kingly
striking
apocalyptical
princely
heavenly
awful
resplendent
divine
sensational
prepossessing
queenly
celestial
splendiferous
lordly
redoubtable
killer
palatine

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

humble
modest
unimpressive
unheroic
unimposing
unprepossessing
ordinary
common
mediocre
sordid
lowly
meretricious
average
shabby
petty
trivial
abject
puny
insignificant
trifling
paltry
mean
run-of-the-mill
second-rate
measly

as in arrogant

self-consciously trying to present an appearance of grandeur or importance made some grandiose claim that she was the descendant of a French princess

Synonyms & Similar Words

arrogant
ostentatious
pompous
pretentious
proud
highfalutin
grandiloquent
smug
hifalutin
affected
high-minded
vainglorious
snippy
lah-di-dah
la-de-da
la-di-da
vain
cavalier
lah-dee-dah
bumptious
egotistic
lah-de-dah
sententious
conceited
aggressive
confident
egoistic
presumptuous
boastful
prideful
imperious
showy
egotistical
assertive
important
haughty
supercilious
gaudy
high-flown
self-aggrandizing
uppity
snobbish
glitzy
high-sounding
complacent
self-glorifying
flamboyant
audacious
self-important
egoistical
overweening
rude
snobby
flashy
disdainful
braggart
bragging
brassy
garish
impudent
airy
self-centered
cocky
self-dramatizing
superior
hoity-toity
high-toned
self-obsessed
self-complacent
high-and-mighty
self-satisfied
cheeky
high-handed
insolent
self-promoting
splashy
self-conceited
bold
self-assertive
sure
flaunting
self-pleased
lordly
self-asserting
self-assured
high-hat
stuck-up
self-confident
forward

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

modest
unpretentious
humble
unassuming
homely
unassertive
demure
meek
lowly
passive
quiet
timid
retiring
diffident
bashful
shy
reserved
down-to-earth
mousy
overmodest
mousey

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of grandiose are grand, imposing, magnificent, majestic, and stately. While all these words mean "large and impressive," grandiose implies a size or scope exceeding ordinary experience, but is most commonly applied derogatorily to inflated pretension or absurd exaggeration.

grandiose hydroelectric projects

grandiose schemes

While the synonyms grand and grandiose are close in meaning, grand adds to greatness of size the implications of handsomeness and dignity.

a grand staircase

In some situations, the words imposing and grandiose are roughly equivalent. However, imposing implies great size and dignity but especially stresses impressiveness.

an imposing edifice

The words magnificent and grandiose are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, magnificent implies an impressive largeness proportionate to scale without sacrifice of dignity or good taste.

magnificent paintings

Majestic combines the implications of imposing and stately and usually adds a suggestion of solemn grandeur.

a majestic waterfall

The synonyms stately and grandiose are sometimes interchangeable, but stately may suggest poised dignity, erectness of bearing, handsomeness of proportions, ceremonious deliberation of movement.

the stately procession

单词	grandiose
释义	grandiose adjective gran·di·ose ˈgran-dē-ˌōs ˌgran-dē-ˈōs 1 : characterized by affectation of grandeur or splendor or by absurd exaggeration They did not believe his grandiose claims. 2 : impressive because of uncommon largeness, scope, effect, or grandeur had grandiose plans for the city grandiosely adverb grandioseness noun grandiosity ˌgran-dē-ˈä-sə-tē noun Did you know? When it comes to bigness, there’s grand and then there’s grandiose. Both words can be used to describe something impressive in size, scope, or effect, but while grand may lend its noun a bit of dignity (i.e., “we had a grand time”), grandiose often implies a whiff of pretension. The difference between a grand plan for the city park and a grandiose one, for example, might be the difference between a tasteful fountain and a garden full of topiaries cut in the shapes of 19th century literary figures. So if you’re choosing between the two, a helpful mnemonic might be that the extra letters in grandiose suggest that one’s ideas, claims, promises, schemes, dreams—you get the idea—are a bit extra. Synonyms august baronial epic gallant glorious grand heroic heroical Homeric imperial imposing magnific magnificent majestic massive monumental noble proud regal royal splendid stately See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences He was full of grandiose ideas. a grandiose plan to upgrade the entire interstate highway system in 10 years Recent Examples on the Web The music is grandiose and thrilling, and sells how big the show wants to be, no matter how big your screen might be. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Aug. 2022 This part of the film is the least sumptuous and grandiose — and the most affecting. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 23 Aug. 2022 When real estate mogul Howard Ruby sold his grandiose Bel Air mansion for $35 million last month, many wondered what would become of the antique furniture and artwork within. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 15 Aug. 2022 There was no game or practice scheduled, just a grandiose welcome party for a 21-year-old. Joshua Robinson, WSJ, 25 Apr. 2022 That said, the Volvo's back seat lacks the grandiose luxury typical of a stretch job. Greg Fink, Car and Driver, 23 Mar. 2022 Quesada had just discovered the world of psychedelic baladas that flourished beginning in the late Sixties, when Latin love songs began to sound even more grandiose than usual, bordering on the delirious. Ernesto Lechner, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2022 Meant to be part of grandiose plans to make Kinshasa a glittering capital, the building was constructed in the 1970s as the International Trade Center but soon went into disrepair and sat abandoned and decaying for years. New York Times, 7 Dec. 2021 Both wars morphed into something more grandiose and utterly unachievable — the transformation of Afghanistan and Iraq into friendly, governable, democratic states. Michael Krepon, Forbes, 2 May 2022 See More Word History Etymology French, from Italian grandioso, from grande great, from Latin grandis First Known Use 1818, in the meaning defined at sense 2 Kids Definition grandiose adjective gran·di·ose ˈgran-dē-ˌōs : overly grand or exaggerated He would … fire his warriors with grandiose schemes and wild ideas. Brian Jacques, Redwall Medical Definition grandiose adjective gran·di·ose ˈgran-dē-ˌōs ˌgran-dē-ˈ : characterized by affectation of grandeur or splendor or by absurd exaggeration a paranoid patient with grandiose delusions grandiose adjective 1 as in epic large and impressive in size, grandeur, extent, or conception a grandiose plan to upgrade the entire interstate highway system in 10 years Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance epic magnificent glorious majestic imposing grand monumental massive regal impressive royal proud imperial colossal heroic lavish heroical wonderful luxurious operatic splendid noble august baronial gallant extravagant formidable stately tremendous remarkable sublime marvelous cosmic stupendous gorgeous extraordinary monstrous awesome magnific marvellous apocalyptic wondrous Homeric superb overblown inflated terrific prodigious pompous opulent sumptuous cosmical palatial kingly striking apocalyptical princely heavenly awful resplendent divine sensational prepossessing queenly celestial splendiferous lordly redoubtable killer palatine Antonyms & Near Antonyms humble modest unimpressive unheroic unimposing unprepossessing ordinary common mediocre sordid lowly meretricious average shabby petty trivial abject puny insignificant trifling paltry mean run-of-the-mill second-rate measly See More 2 as in arrogant self-consciously trying to present an appearance of grandeur or importance made some grandiose claim that she was the descendant of a French princess Synonyms & Similar Words arrogant ostentatious pompous pretentious proud highfalutin grandiloquent smug hifalutin affected high-minded vainglorious snippy lah-di-dah la-de-da la-di-da vain cavalier lah-dee-dah bumptious egotistic lah-de-dah sententious conceited aggressive confident egoistic presumptuous boastful prideful imperious showy egotistical assertive important haughty supercilious gaudy high-flown self-aggrandizing uppity snobbish glitzy high-sounding complacent self-glorifying flamboyant audacious self-important egoistical overweening rude snobby flashy disdainful braggart bragging brassy garish impudent airy self-centered cocky self-dramatizing superior hoity-toity high-toned self-obsessed self-complacent high-and-mighty self-satisfied cheeky high-handed insolent self-promoting splashy self-conceited bold self-assertive sure flaunting self-pleased lordly self-asserting self-assured high-hat stuck-up self-confident forward Antonyms & Near Antonyms modest unpretentious humble unassuming homely unassertive demure meek lowly passive quiet timid retiring diffident bashful shy reserved down-to-earth mousy overmodest mousey See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of grandiose are grand, imposing, magnificent, majestic, and stately. While all these words mean "large and impressive," grandiose implies a size or scope exceeding ordinary experience, but is most commonly applied derogatorily to inflated pretension or absurd exaggeration. grandiose hydroelectric projects grandiose schemes While the synonyms grand and grandiose are close in meaning, grand adds to greatness of size the implications of handsomeness and dignity. a grand staircase In some situations, the words imposing and grandiose are roughly equivalent. However, imposing implies great size and dignity but especially stresses impressiveness. an imposing edifice The words magnificent and grandiose are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, magnificent implies an impressive largeness proportionate to scale without sacrifice of dignity or good taste. magnificent paintings Majestic combines the implications of imposing and stately and usually adds a suggestion of solemn grandeur. a majestic waterfall The synonyms stately and grandiose are sometimes interchangeable, but stately may suggest poised dignity, erectness of bearing, handsomeness of proportions, ceremonious deliberation of movement. the stately procession
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grandiose

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

Medical Definition

adjective

adjective

Synonym Chooser