bombast

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈbɒmbæst/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈbɑmbæst/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(bom′bast)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
bom•bast /ˈbɑmbæst/USA pronunciation   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 © 2026
bom•bast  (bom′bast),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. speech too pompous for an occasion;
    pretentious words.
  2. [Obs.]cotton or other material used to stuff garments;
    padding.

adj. 
  1. [Obs.]bombastic.
  • Medieval Latin bombācem, accusative of bombāx; see bombax family
  • Middle French
  • earlier bombace padding 1560–70

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
bombast /ˈbɒmbæst/ n
  1. pompous and grandiloquent language
Etymology: 16th Century: from Old French bombace, from Medieval Latin bombāx cotton; see bombacaceousbomˈbastic adj bomˈbastically adv
'bombast' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
rant - rhetoric - bombastic - bravado - fustian - raving - rhetorical - tumor - tympany - spread-eagleism

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