GRANDIOSITY Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

grandiosity

noun

Definition of grandiosity

as in affectation

the quality or state of appearing or trying to appear more important or more valuable than is the case I'd rather be thought of as a person with simple integrity, not a person given to grandiosity and exaggeration

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of grandiosity An emotional buildup isn’t new for them, but the clarity with which its alt-rock grandiosity is captured is—a result of trusting producer Alex Farrar, at Asheville’s Drop of Sun Studio, for the first time. — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 15 July 2026 Griffith’s own work looks stiff and sentimental, weighed down with melodrama and grandiosity that may have seemed dated even in 1915. — Vivian Yee, New York Times, 20 June 2026 People with bipolar disorder cycle through extended periods of mania and depression, often accompanied by grandiosity or elevated self-esteem during manic phases. — Angela Haupt, Time, 11 June 2026 Fascism became fashionable for a time, even if it was rooted in self-grandiosity, narcissistic grievance, and sadistic vengeance. — Literary Hub, 27 Apr. 2026 The doctor further explained that the traits of a narcissist encompass low empathy, arrogance, entitlement, grandiosity and pathological selfishness. — Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026 Such desperate attempts at grandiosity evoke empty vanity, clutching at physical monuments to prove a greatness that history has not yet conferred. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 13 Apr. 2026 For more than 50 years, mental health literature has taught professionals about narcissistic behavior, with its grandiosity, exaggerated need for praise, inability to admit error, and turning setbacks into personal grievances. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026 Set in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, the grandiosity of MoMA is deceptive. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grandiosity

Noun

With rare exceptions, EV sound is little more than an affectation.

— Byron Hurd, The Drive, 27 Aug. 2026
Robinhood's banking product arrived with private-bank affectations, estate planning, event access, cash to the door, priced at $5 a month inside a bundle a 30-year-old already pays for.

— Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of affectation

Noun

The genre, with its sanitized storylines and Oscar-baiting pretensions, seems fundamentally at odds with the iconoclastic chef and television personality.

— Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2026
Like Paul Schrader’s 1982 version of the latter, this is an upscale genre piece whose pretensions towards Art are upfront, starting with a quotation from no less than Schopenhauer.

— Dennis Harvey, Variety, 30 July 2026

Definition of pretension

Noun

The bathroom brings that rich blue into focus with its gilded vanity and various textures.

— Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 26 Aug. 2026
Nine-foot stainless-steel screens, originally designed to keep fish from swimming into dams, were reshaped into curved, airfoil-like vanity doors.

— David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of vanity

Noun

Behind closed doors, Chloe gets hired by Melody under the pretense that Chloe is helping her teacher’s illiterate husband learn how to read.

— Matt Minton, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
This entire argument has been under the pretense that the Steelers will need a win — and Rudolph will deliver it.

— Mike DeFabo, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of pretense

Browse Nearby Words

grandiosely

grandiosity

grandly

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“Grandiosity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grandiosity. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of grandiosity

noun

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