variants
also hifalutin
1
as in rhetorical
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 proud
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in pretentious
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
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 highfalutin
Early on, Feld became Chicago’s most divisive restaurant, a flash point for critics of highfalutin many-course tasting menus.
—
The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
There is support for AAC and SBC codecs, but none of your highfalutin aptX Adaptive or LDAC.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
The resulting public mockery has forced the company to make sweaty apologies while standing by its highfalutin claims about the bot’s capabilities.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2025
Packing more lightweight aluminum than anything from Ferrari, Lamborghini, or Porsche, the Acura defied expectations again with a shocking US $60,000 price, a fraction the cost of its highfalutin rivals.
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 Sep. 2016
See All Example Sentences for highfalutin
The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
There is support for AAC and SBC codecs, but none of your highfalutin aptX Adaptive or LDAC.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
The resulting public mockery has forced the company to make sweaty apologies while standing by its highfalutin claims about the bot’s capabilities.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2025
Packing more lightweight aluminum than anything from Ferrari, Lamborghini, or Porsche, the Acura defied expectations again with a shocking US $60,000 price, a fraction the cost of its highfalutin rivals.
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 Sep. 2016
See All Example Sentences for highfalutin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for highfalutin
Adjective
-
The unraveling of the once-cozy relationship is not just personal or rhetorical.—
Julia Khrebtan-Hörhager,
The Conversation,
24 Apr. 2026
-
For Republican Presidents, this has mostly been rhetoric.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The series has devolved into a hysteria that the young and arrogant Timberwolves feed on since that first quarter of Game 2.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
-
However, many thought Tilson Thomas too brash and arrogant to lead an orchestra, and, around the same time, Tilson Thomas fell in with New York’s disco-hopping crowd.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The proud Westeros family of dragonlords have always been intent on making things bend to their (fair-haired, dragon-loving) will, even when the chips were down.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Gordon Ramsay is one proud dad as daughter Tilly Ramsay completes the TCS London Marathon on April 26 in London.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Drenched in designer labels and working at the house of Christian Dior, Blunt’s Emily has become the pretentious partner of a billionaire tech mogul played by Justin Theroux, sources said.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Miss Manners is exasperated when people consider etiquette pretentious for supplying the necessary tools to get food to mouth.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
It is surrounded by appliqué ornamentation reflecting the decorative arts of each culture and an ornate frieze around the periphery.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Cruise ships release passengers daily to see the bright, ornate facades lining the harbor.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The fact that anyone at the top is shocked by snaking security lines at airports is of a piece with the administration’s rather cavalier approach to contingency planning.—
Juliette Kayyem,
The Atlantic,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Each crossbreed comes from a poodle bred with a cavalier King Charles spaniel, cocker spaniel, or Labrador retriever.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Such an attempt to normalize petty crime makes Vicky Osterweil’s 2020 manifesto, In Defense of Looting, look high-minded.—
Thomas Chatterton Williams,
The Atlantic,
23 Apr. 2026
-
But while Taylor Sheridan’s shows, product enhancements and even blockbuster movies were on the menu, the pitch from Ellison and his team was at times more high-minded.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The test case—picturing a cow doing ballet—produces a smug bovine pirouetting.—
Elise Broach,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
My math teachers of old are very smug somewhere.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Highfalutin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/highfalutin. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
