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Bombast: meaning, definitions and examples

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bombast

 

[ ˈbɒmbæst ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

speech

high-sounding language with little meaning, used to impress people

Synonyms

grandiloquence, pompousness, rhetoric

Examples of usage

  • His bombast may have fooled some, but not me.
  • She dismissed his bombast as mere posturing.
Context #2 | Noun

literature

inflated or extravagant language, especially in a dramatic work

Synonyms

exaggeration, grandiosity, hyperbole

Examples of usage

  • The play was criticized for its bombast and lack of subtlety.
  • The poet's bombast overshadowed the true beauty of his words.

Translations

Translations of the word "bombast" in other languages:

🇵🇹 pomposidade

🇮🇳 शेख़ी

🇩🇪 Schwulst

🇮🇩 kesombongan

🇺🇦 пишномовність

🇵🇱 pompatyczność

🇯🇵 誇張

🇫🇷 grandiloquence

🇪🇸 pomposidad

🇹🇷 abartılı konuşma

🇰🇷 과장된 말

🇸🇦 طنطنة

🇨🇿 bombastičnost

🇸🇰 bombastičnosť

🇨🇳 夸张

🇸🇮 pompoznost

🇮🇸 bombur

🇰🇿 даңғаза

🇬🇪 პომპეზურობა

🇦🇿 böyüklük

🇲🇽 pomposidad

Word origin

The word 'bombast' originated from the Old French word 'bombace', which referred to cotton padding. In the 16th century, 'bombast' came to be used figuratively to describe inflated or pompous language. It has since retained its negative connotation of pretentious or empty verbosity.

See also: bomb, bombastic, bomber, bombing, bombs, bombshell.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #29,268, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.