GRANDILOQUENT Synonyms: 62 Similar and Opposite Words

grandiloquent

adjective

Definition of grandiloquent

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

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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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

Adjective

Tehran's Answer Is A Courtroom Iran's response so far has been legal and rhetorical, which is itself information.

— Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Evaluate how different rhetorical moves support speakers’ arguments and how they are received by the audience.

— USA Today, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of rhetorical

Adjective

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
That public spat has overshadowed his pontifical tour of four African countries, which ended Thursday with a Mass for thousands of people in Malabo, the former capital of Equatorial Guinea.

— Claudio Lavanga, NBC news, 23 Apr. 2026

Definition of pontifical

Adjective

That afternoon, the president, inside the exposition’s ornate Temple of Music, greeted members of the public, shaking hands and warmly inviting them to explore the fair.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Marrow Deep at times feels turbulent, ornate, measured, chaotic, and cathartic.

— Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of ornate

Adjective

In current, inflated prices, the outturn cost approaches £48–49 billion.

— Interesting Engineering, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
But on the other side of that coin, those windfalls will also set a higher bar for comparisons next year due to the inflated numbers this season.

— Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of inflated

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grandiloquence

grandiloquent

grandiose

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“Grandiloquent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grandiloquent. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of grandiloquent

adjective

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