grandiloquent

adjective

Definition of grandiloquentnext
1
as in rhetorical
full of fine words and fancy expressions poets in the 19th century tended to write poetry filled with grandiloquent phrases

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pontifical
marked by the use of impressive-sounding but mostly meaningless words and phrases at Independence Day celebrations grandiloquent speeches by local politicians are as traditional as fireworks

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of grandiloquent There was Coppola’s over-the-top defense of his friend with a grandiloquent gesture (Tanen declined to sell). — Michael O’Donnell, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026 Reform—Within Reason Malthus aimed to puncture Godwin’s grandiloquent progressivism. — Roy Scranton, JSTOR Daily, 18 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grandiloquent
  1. rhetorical
  2. pontifical
  3. ornate
  4. inflated
  5. bombastic
Adjective
  • Maybe that’s what tips her into some recklessness of her own, with an explanation of Hal’s forceful personality and brilliant rhetorical style as being intoxicating.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
  • That club includes former President Obama, whose rhetorical style has been compared to the young senator.
    — Jared Gans, The Hill, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of rhetorical
Adjective
  • In another decree published Monday, Leo canceled Francis’ plans to move some of the Vatican’s secret archives and library holdings out of the city state and onto the grounds of a pontifical university across town.
    — Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Leo opened his visit to Pompeii by meeting with sick and disabled people who are cared for by a charity center affiliated with the sanctuary, which Leo’s namesake, Pope Leo XIII, declared a pontifical basilica in 1901.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 May 2026
Definition of pontifical
Adjective
  • Next up is a house tour, from the cavernous, all-white living room to a glimpse of the ornate indoor pool, with V lamenting that the place is so huge he sometimes gets lost.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Many of its original details, from formal entry galleries and large terraces to ornate moldings and herringbone floors, remain.
    — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of ornate
Adjective
  • The boxes allegedly cost substantially less to produce, allowing the conspirators to use the inflated prices to finance bribes and divert government funds.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026
  • As a result, conventional estimates produced inflated efficiency values that failed to reflect actual device behavior under operating conditions.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of inflated
Adjective
  • The trailer for The Magician’s Nephew premiered in front of a full Imax theater in the AMC at Lincoln Square, revealing a first look at Gerwig’s bombastic, epic spectacle.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026
  • On its face, the fair, slated for June 25 to July 10, was a bombastic mess.
    — Ta-Nehisi Coates, Vanity Fair, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of bombastic

Browse Nearby Words

grandiloquence
grandiloquent
grandiose
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Cite this Entry

“Grandiloquent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grandiloquent. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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