variants
also hifalutin
1
as in rhetoric
full of fine words and fancy expressions
his highfalutin paean to the working class failed to win over a crowd that wanted to hear down-to-earth proposals for economic relief
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude
her highfalutin relatives from New York made the snide remark that her little house "has that lived-in look"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in superior
having or displaying feelings of scorn for what is regarded as beneath oneself
refused to be intimidated by the highfalutin manner of the sales staff in the fashionable boutique
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in smug
self-consciously trying to present an appearance of grandeur or importance
"fine Southern cuisine" sounds a bit highfalutin for a barbecue shack
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of highfalutin
Newsom, for all his highfalutin rhetoric about championing all Californians, just can’t quit the gentry and the insiders who have made his career.
—
Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2024
After selling more than 150 million albums, filling stadiums for decades and earning highfalutin accolades such as the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song and Kennedy Center Honors, Garth Brooks shouldn’t be affected by much.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 13 Sep. 2024
The general idea is: creative cocktail lounge minus all the highfalutin fuss.
—David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 11 July 2024
Whitmer makes her case in less than 160 pages with almost no highfalutin language.
—Amanda Uhle, Washington Post, 9 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for highfalutin
Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2024
After selling more than 150 million albums, filling stadiums for decades and earning highfalutin accolades such as the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song and Kennedy Center Honors, Garth Brooks shouldn’t be affected by much.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 13 Sep. 2024
The general idea is: creative cocktail lounge minus all the highfalutin fuss.
—David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 11 July 2024
Whitmer makes her case in less than 160 pages with almost no highfalutin language.
—Amanda Uhle, Washington Post, 9 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for highfalutin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for highfalutin
Adjective
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Ava Daniels is a young comedy writer who is unable to find work due to an insensitive tweet and her reputation for being self-centered and arrogant.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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And the villains, of course, exuding every nastily relatable emotion; the stepmothers and sorceresses are vain, arrogant, dismissive, lonely, rude, and outrageous.—
Darren Franich,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The curved, low-profile silhouette creates a modern spin on the otherwise classic design, while the chair’s high-density foam filling offers superior support.—
Megan Schaltegger,
People.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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Plus, consumers increasingly want digital capabilities for all their transactions, so using a card and mobile app ultimately offers them their preferred method of interaction, creating a superior and sticky customer experience.—
Ashley McGrail,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But my in-laws seemed not to catch this smug look of his, and when my mother-in-law excused herself to go to the bathroom, my father-in-law took the opportunity to go over to his desk and take out one of his special blue envelopes.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
2 Apr. 2025
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But those smug computers obviously haven’t seen a shirtless Illini coach Brad Underwood and his Super Soaker squirt gun.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The emotional and compelling delivery drew millions of views across social media, with many praising his endurance and rhetorical skills.—
Lee Habeeb,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Apr. 2025
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Ultimately, these appeals amounted mostly to rhetorical posturing and, because of policy inconsistencies and incompetence, effected little concrete change.—
MATIAS SPEKTOR,
Foreign Affairs,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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This Milan Design Week was an important one for Louis Vuitton.—
Liam Hess,
Vogue,
10 Apr. 2025
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Sri Lanka worried that its economic recovery would be derailed as its clothing industry faced new tariffs from its most important export market.—
Time,
Time,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Mike is a native of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, the proud home of Steelers training camp, and graduated from American University in Washington, D.C.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
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In a post-credits scene from a recent episode of The Kardashians, the proud mom looked at the analytics from her daughter's Lion King performance and was shocked that North was more popular than the rest of her family.—
Kayla Grant,
People.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Buckle up for this globe-trotting, CGI-heavy adventure that combines apocalyptic spectacle and family drama in the least pretentious way possible.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
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Jimbo, the most ridiculously pretentious egomaniac in rock-star history, seemed so excessive that no actor could play him, but Val Kilmer was up to the task.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Colossal’s cavalier plans to use captive elephants as surrogates for mammoth calves illustrate an old problem in modern wildlife conservation: indifference towards individual animal suffering.—
Nitin Sekar,
ArsTechnica,
5 Apr. 2025
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Among some Republicans, there is also an element of trepidation about the political impact of Musk’s cavalier approach.—
Niall Stanage,
The Hill,
25 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Highfalutin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/highfalutin. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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