bombastic

UK: /ˌbɒmˈbæstɪk/ US: (bom bas′tik)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

bom•bas•tic  (bom bas′tik), adj. 

1. (of speech, writing, etc.) high-sounding;
   high-flown;
   inflated;
   pretentious.

Also, bom•bas′ti•cal. 

• bombast + -ic 1695–1705

bom•bas′ti•cal•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

pompous, grandiloquent, turgid, florid, grandiose. Bombastic, flowery, pretentious, verbose all describe a use or a user of language more elaborate than is justified by or appropriate to the content being expressed. Bombastic suggests language with a theatricality or staginess of style far too powerful or declamatory for the meaning or sentiment being expressed:
a bombastic sermon on the evils of cardplaying.
Flowery describes language filled with extravagant images and ornate expressions:
a flowery eulogy.
Pretentious refers specifically to language that is purposely inflated in an effort to impress:
a pretentious essay designed to demonstrate one's sophistication.
Verbose characterizes utterances or speakers that use more words than necessary to express an idea:
a verbose speech, speaker.

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

bom•bast /ˈbɑmbæst/   n. [uncountable]

1. important-sounding, pompous words;
   rhetoric:
   After all the bombast we couldn't figure out what he was trying to say.

bom•bas•tic, adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

bom•bast  (bom′bast), n. 

1. speech too pompous for an occasion;
   pretentious words.
2. [Obs.] cotton or other material used to stuff garments;
   padding.

adj. 

3. [Obs.] bombastic.

• Medieval Latin bombācem, accusative of bombāx; see bombax family
• Middle French
• earlier bombace padding 1560–70