grandiosity

noun

Definition of grandiositynext
as in affectation
the quality or state of appearing or trying to appear more important or more valuable than is the case I'd rather be thought of as a person with simple integrity, not a person given to grandiosity and exaggeration

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 grandiosity An emotional buildup isn’t new for them, but the clarity with which its alt-rock grandiosity is captured is—a result of trusting producer Alex Farrar, at Asheville’s Drop of Sun Studio, for the first time. — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 15 July 2026 Griffith’s own work looks stiff and sentimental, weighed down with melodrama and grandiosity that may have seemed dated even in 1915. — Vivian Yee, New York Times, 20 June 2026 People with bipolar disorder cycle through extended periods of mania and depression, often accompanied by grandiosity or elevated self-esteem during manic phases. — Angela Haupt, Time, 11 June 2026 Fascism became fashionable for a time, even if it was rooted in self-grandiosity, narcissistic grievance, and sadistic vengeance. — Literary Hub, 27 Apr. 2026 The doctor further explained that the traits of a narcissist encompass low empathy, arrogance, entitlement, grandiosity and pathological selfishness. — Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026 Such desperate attempts at grandiosity evoke empty vanity, clutching at physical monuments to prove a greatness that history has not yet conferred. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 13 Apr. 2026 For more than 50 years, mental health literature has taught professionals about narcissistic behavior, with its grandiosity, exaggerated need for praise, inability to admit error, and turning setbacks into personal grievances. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026 Set in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, the grandiosity of MoMA is deceptive. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grandiosity
  1. affectation
  2. arrogance
  3. pretension
  4. vanity
  5. pretense
Noun
  • With rare exceptions, EV sound is little more than an affectation.
    — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Robinhood's banking product arrived with private-bank affectations, estate planning, event access, cash to the door, priced at $5 a month inside a bundle a 30-year-old already pays for.
    — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of affectation
Noun
  • What might seem arrogance in others feels merely reasonable coming from her.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • But while that might suggest arrogance, Dawson’s answer to another question reflects humility.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of arrogance
Noun
  • It’s revered as a pretension-free refuge from overpriced and overstimulating Ocean Drive.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The genre, with its sanitized storylines and Oscar-baiting pretensions, seems fundamentally at odds with the iconoclastic chef and television personality.
    — Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of pretension
Noun
  • What begins with the seeds of a vanity project organically blossoms into something that encompasses the many people Ryan’s life touches.
    — Marshall Shaffer, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Using information from witnesses and footage from Flock cameras, investigators identified the suspect vehicle as a gray Ford F-150 pickup truck with a California vanity license plate, Johnson said.
    — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of vanity
Noun
  • Behind closed doors, Chloe gets hired by Melody under the pretense that Chloe is helping her teacher’s illiterate husband learn how to read.
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
  • This entire argument has been under the pretense that the Steelers will need a win — and Rudolph will deliver it.
    — Mike DeFabo, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of pretense

Browse Nearby Words

grandiosely
grandiosity
grandly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grandiosity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grandiosity. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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