Pompousness: meaning, definitions and examples

Use 'pompousness' when describing someone who has an inflated sense of their importance and often speaks and behaves in a self-important way.

• His pompousness made it difficult for anyone to take him seriously
• Her speech was filled with such pompousness that people started to feel uncomfortable

Use 'arrogance' to describe a person who believes they are better or more important than others and often treats others with disdain.

• His arrogance was evident in the way he dismissed everyone's opinions
• She spoke with such arrogance that it put people off

Use 'haughtiness' for describing someone who behaves in a superior, disdainful way, often looking down on others.

• Her haughtiness was clear from the disdainful look she gave everyone
• He walked into the room with an air of haughtiness that alienated him from others

Use 'pretentiousness' when referring to someone who tries to impress others by pretending to be more important or knowledgeable than they really are.

• Her pretentiousness was evident when she kept using big words incorrectly
• The pretentiousness of his mannerisms annoyed everyone at the party

Used to describe someone who acts self-important or arrogant, often in a manner that is annoying or disrespectful.

• His pompousness made it hard to have a conversation with him.
• She couldn't stand his pompousness any longer and left the party.

Often refers to speech that is lofty, extravagant, or pretentious, used to impress others but can come off as insincere or overblown.

• The politician's grandiloquence did little to win over the skeptical audience.
• Her grandiloquence in the meeting seemed inappropriate for such a small issue.

Describes behavior or actions intended to attract notice and impress others, often through display of wealth or luxury.

• His ostentation was evident from the flashy car he drove.
• She wore an expensive dress just for the sake of ostentation.

Used to describe speech or writing that uses more words than necessary, often making it tedious or difficult to follow.

• The professor's verbosity made the lecture hard to follow.
• She edited the letter to reduce its verbosity.