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GRE vocabulary

bombastic

adjectiveHigh-frequency wordMore B words

high-sounding but with little real meaning; pompous in speech

Word origin: From bombast, cotton padding, via Latin bombyx, silk or cotton.

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In a sentence

Bombastic in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing bombastic in a sentence.

His bombastic acceptance speech was full of grand but empty phrases.

His bombastic acceptance speech promised everything and committed to nothing.

Synonyms
grandiloquentpompousturgidinflated
Antonyms
plainunderstated

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Verbal · Sentence Equivalence

The professor's lectures were notoriously blank; students often left more puzzled than when they had arrived, unable to follow his tangled chains of reasoning.

Select the two answers that give the sentence the same meaning. 0 of 2 selected.

Usage & nuance

Using “bombastic” well

Bombastic describes language that is grand and inflated but empty of substance. It targets pompous style, not necessarily false content.

Common questions

Questions about “bombastic”

Bombastic (adjective) means high-sounding but with little real meaning; pompous in speech
Here is bombastic used in an example sentence: "His bombastic acceptance speech was full of grand but empty phrases." Another example: "His bombastic acceptance speech promised everything and committed to nothing."
Common synonyms for bombastic include grandiloquent, pompous, turgid, inflated.
Antonyms of bombastic include plain, understated.
Bombastic pairs with grandiloquent, pompous, turgid, and inflated. Its antonyms plain and understated mark the restrained-style answers.
Yes. Bombastic is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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