bombastic
adjUK /bɒmˈbæs.tɪk/ · US /bɑmˈbæs.tɪk/
Etymology From bombast (“padding, stuffing”) + -ic, 18th century. Sense evolution possibly influenced by unrelated bomb and bombard; see also bombard phrase.
1
Of a person showy in speech and given to using flowery or elaborate terms; grandiloquent; pompous
Their language or writing
- Dorsett came up the stairs, buggy whip in hand. He bustled into the office in his usual self‐important way. Frank noticed that the old clerk sat down on him promptly. He was not one bit impressed with the bombastic visitor from Greenville.1907, Allen Chapman, Bound to Succeed:
2
High‐sounding but with little meaning.
3
Colloquial Loud, aggressive, highly exaggerated, or explosive in manner or delivery; over‐the‐top.
4
Archaic Inflated, overfilled.
- Synonyms
- fustian
- Derived terms
- nonbombastic, unbombastic
- Related terms
- bombast, bombaster, bombastically