hoity-toity 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of hoity-toitynext
as in arrogant
informal having or showing the insulting attitude of people who think that they are better, smarter, or more important than other people a bunch of hoity-toity snobs

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hoity-toity

2 of 2

noun

as in tomfoolery

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Dissimilar Words

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 hoity-toity
Adjective
Yes, ping-pong … table tennis for you hoity-toity types. — Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 25 Dec. 2025 Alas, there is no end in sight to the tornado of hoity-toity chaos that is Martin Levy. — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025 Not to be hoity-toity or artsy or whatever. — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
Most of the players immediately adopt exaggerated foppish courtier characters, complete with hoity-toity accents and hyperbolic graciousness. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026 The estate played the home of Rose Byrne’s hoity-toity Helen Harris III in Bridesmaids (the backyard is where Kristen Wiig’s Annie detonated mid-bridal-shower, cookie in hand). — David Hochman, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026 Ditch your hoity-toity cocktail reception to get down with some hometown talent and hang with a hip-hop heavyweight. — Mars Salazar, Austin American-Statesman, 12 Dec. 2024 From the hoity-toity BAFTAs to the jovial People’s Choice Awards, the events this past week were pretty varied. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 24 Feb. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoity-toity
  1. arrogant
  2. tomfoolery
  3. important
  4. craziness
  5. smug
  6. monkey business
  7. vain
  8. rigmarole
Adjective
  • Elon Musk — Ike Barinholtz has Musk wandering in from another movie, or dimension, a ramble-y, arrogant but ultimately comically non-threatening figure.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The loud-mouthed cameos from ex-soccer players Zlatan Ibrahimović and Eric Cantona in Nike’s World Cup hero film Rip the Script were indicative of this, chiming with an older, more arrogant vision of Nike seen in the ’90s and the aughts.
    — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of arrogant
Noun
  • After the film’s theatrical release on June 26, the decades-long saga of pranks and tomfoolery is finally coming to an end.
    — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
  • New assistant coach Alice Chilton is a blatant remodeling of Roy Kent — a brusque ex-soccer player who’s reluctant to engage with Ted’s tomfoolery or personal prodding — but Tanya Reynolds’ performance is equal turns wounded and witty.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of tomfoolery
Adjective
  • While a push east for Marib would get the Houthis the most resources, a southern push appears to be more strategically important for the time being.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 2026
  • For decades, the European Union has led the world in implementing policies designed to cut emissions, creating the world’s most important price on carbon and crafting the rules of the road for a wide range of regulatory efforts.
    — Justin Worland, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of important
Noun
  • Jacksonville has a successful Triple-A franchise, the Jumbo Shrimp, that won its league last year, bringing fun theme nights, quirky mascots and between-inning craziness.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026
  • And there’s plenty more moving yet outrageous craziness to come.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of craziness
Adjective
  • Here was my chance to get out of London, this counterfeit of death with its everywhere rage and its moribund culture and its smug population and its streets steeped in resentment and the sky pressing down like a chloroform rag.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Hilton vouches for their integrity, then quickly pivots into an attack on smug Democrats who take voters for granted.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of smug
Noun
  • But this was no monkey business April Fool’s joke.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 4 June 2026
  • Barnett was the second Mississippi resident to take the monkey business into their own hands.
    — Bracey Harris, NBC news, 5 Nov. 2025
Definition of monkey business
Adjective
  • Jeon Do-yeon, who plays the family’s matriarch, is colorfully slinky as a globe-trotting party widow, a vain, compulsively seductive narcissist who macks on her daughters’ men like a Real Housewife given a villain’s edit.
    — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The character is a vain celebrity author known for his theatrics and questionable character.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of vain
Noun
  • And the rigmarole of international travel is a very good reason.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 18 Apr. 2026
  • Alternatives were mooted, such as filming in England, but flying all the crew from Poland, and their associated visa requirements, would have added to the rigmarole.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2026
Definition of rigmarole

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hoists
hoity-toity
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Cite this Entry

“Hoity-toity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoity-toity. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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