as in ranting
disapproving
to speak or express your opinion about something in a way that shows that you think you are always right
We had to listen to her pontificate about the best way to raise children.
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as in hifalutin
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Dissimilar Words
as in moralizing
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pontificating
Verb
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Last week, Fox premiered the new comedy Going Dutch, about a ranting conservative father (Denis Leary) forced to reconnect with his estranged liberal daughter (Taylor Misiak).—
Daniel Fienberg,
The Hollywood Reporter,
3 Sep. 2019 -
The Pats addressed two of their biggest needs, but instead in Tuesday’s paper there’s me, smiling in my headshot and ranting in print, a clueless dope.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
12 Mar. 2024
Adjective
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The show perpetuates corporate media’s retaliation against those who oppose its leftist, Marxist, Communist, socialist agenda — the ideological myth favored by superficial and supercilious showbiz types ever since All the President’s Men and Network.—
Armond White,
National Review,
30 Apr. 2025
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Arthur is … a lot too, but with a supercilious edge?—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Twain’s narrative boasts some—discrepancies is too magisterial a word … peculiarities, say.—
Caity Weaver,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2025
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Copy Facebook Pinterest Photo by An Rong Xu From my airplane window, the Pearl River unfurled from fogged mountains in a glossy, pale-blue ribbon, a magisterial curve of water that defined the landscape with its flow.—
Bonnie Tsui,
AFAR Media,
6 May 2025
Noun
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Nat Geo experts provide photo advice, and historians and marine biologists host onboard lectures.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
3 July 2025
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Central Florida Stamp Club: Meetings include auctions and informative lectures.—
Joe Rassel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 July 2025
Adjective
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Related Articles For the past 40-plus years in the Philippines, Natori’s mother Angelita Cruz has been very close to the nuncios (who act as pontifical ambassadors), the designer said.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
18 June 2025
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The only pontifical name that hasn't been used more than once is Peter, the name of the first pope, though there's no prohibition against doing so.—
Christopher Watson,
ABC News,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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That sweet spot between professionalism, entertainment and high-and-mighty disapproval?—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
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Lots of high-and-mighty people populate Tyrrell’s recollections.—
John Fund,
National Review,
26 Nov. 2023
Noun
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No foreign control: Data is physically and legally bound to its jurisdiction, immune to extraterritorial interference.—
Sindhya Valloppillil,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
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The research paper delves further, showing how the design changes to the Starlink satellites should prevent interference with the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile, which features a massive telescope and recently came online.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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In 2022, Ackles joined the cast of Prime Video's The Boys as arrogant superhero Soldier Boy.—
Brianne Tracy,
People.com,
4 July 2025
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Her larger-than-life ego and past as a shaman make Player 044 come off as arrogant and selfish, getting under just about everyone's skin.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
4 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Pontificating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pontificating. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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