pomposity

noun

päm-ˈpä-sə-tē How to pronounce pomposity (audio)
Definition of pompositynext
1
as in arrogance
an exaggerated sense of one's importance that shows itself in the making of excessive or unjustified claims restaurant reviews that are written with a pomposity that will leave a bad taste in anyone's mouth

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in vanity
an often unjustified feeling of being pleased with oneself or with one's situation or achievements his over-the-top trophy mansion should give you some idea of his pomposity

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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 pomposity Wagner’s humor deflates pomposity, and gives you permission to trust your own palate first. — Devin Parr, Forbes.com, 31 Jan. 2026 But what scanned like sardonic pomposity was actually a reflection of the regard in which the Duruttis were held by their label. — Brad Shoup, Pitchfork, 24 Jan. 2026 His boisterous persona was more comical than confrontational, a hot-air balloon of strutting pomposity punctured by his family. — Jim McKairnes, USA TODAY, 17 Jan. 2025 Lowden acknowledges River’s aristocratic pomposity but also sees in the character a genuine care for his colleagues and family, particularly his devotion to his aging grandfather. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for pomposity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pomposity
  1. arrogance
  2. vanity
  3. superiority
  4. ego
  5. pride
  6. smugness
Noun
  • An America that seeks justice with dignity and wisdom, not arrogance and gore.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • These fascinating, illuminating episodes raise the question of whether great fiction requires the kind of single-mindedness and even arrogance that McCarthy cultivated.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of arrogance
Noun
  • Rather than through a cold call or email, the scammers lure them through websites offering self-publishing or vanity publishing.
    — Snigdha Poonam, The Dial, 13 Oct. 2026
  • And the angelic youth Dorian Gray’s deadly descent into vanity and vice—ignited by a hubristic obsession with his own image—eerily foreshadows the grim trajectory of Wilde’s later years.
    — Hannah Aizenman, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of vanity
Noun
  • Meanwhile, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), which sees space superiority as essential to winning future wars, is developing a range of space capabilities as well as a suite of weapons that can attack satellites.
    — Kathleen Curlee, Foreign Affairs, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Credibility is affected deeply by strategic cultural assessments about superiority and inferiority, and notions about when, where, how and for whom the credibility matters.
    — Christopher Nichols, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of superiority
Noun
  • Both teams now limp into Saturday's game in Austin with bruised bodies and egos, and carrying a whiff of desperation for a win to keep the season from unraveling.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Did that feel like a parody of my ego, or also a way to make fun of it?
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of ego
Noun
  • Some will say past results don’t matter, but many of TCU’s veterans are used to beating Baylor and take pride it in.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Behind the reputation that surrounded them, there was humor, loyalty, and pride.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of pride
Noun
  • That joke, which McNamara hits with a palpable sparkle of smugness, illustrates how deliciously blunt her comedic sensibility is.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Even if the movie gets a bit crazy in an apocalyptic epilogue, its picture of bourgeois smugness due for a takedown is delicious.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of smugness

Browse Nearby Words

pompadours
pomposity
pompous
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Cite this Entry

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

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