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
  • The latest Piker rhetorical bomb El-Sayed had to dodge was the streamer’s assertion in an interview with Axios, excerpts of which were posted Thursday, that the United States is more of a fomenter of terrorism than al-Qaeda.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
  • By retaining too much of the play’s rhetorical architecture, the film turns a provocative dramatic premise into something closer to an illustrated thesis.
    — Beandrea July, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 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
  • And John Hancock’s grand, ornate signature on the Declaration of Independence became so famous that his name is now a term for signatures in general.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026
  • On Thursday morning the ornate marble lobby of the New York Stock Exchange in lower Manhattan was turned into a museum of Hollywood history.
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of ornate
Adjective
  • The unions cited concerns including job security, affordable health care, and wages that meet New York City’s inflated cost of living.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • All these geopolitical variables put a partial freeze on energy dealmaking—potential sellers ask for more money on inflated valuations, while the buyers think longer term and conservatively.
    — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of inflated
Adjective
  • Many filmgoers who’ve seen the movie early say Cruise’s bombastic performance is the best part of it.
    — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 2 Oct. 2026
  • His music was defiant and bombastic, and critics and fans alike regarded him as a kind of pop messiah.
    — Josephine Reisman, Vulture, 24 Sep. 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 11 Oct. 2026.

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