High-sounding (Adjective)

Meaning

Pretentious (especially with regard to language or ideals); "high-flown talk of preserving the moral tone of the school"; "a high-sounding dissertation on the means to attain social revolution".

Classification

All adjective clusters.

Usages

• Colloquialism

Examples

• The professor's explanation of the new policy was full of high-sounding phrases, but it failed to address the concerns of the students.
• His high-sounding dissertation on the importance of social justice was undermined by his own privileged upbringing.
• The company's mission statement is full of high-sounding language, but it's hard to see how it applies to their actual business practices.
• The politician's high-sounding rhetoric about healthcare reform sounded impressive, but it was ultimately empty of substance.
• The artist's high-sounding statement about the meaning of her latest sculpture was met with skepticism by many in the art world.

Synonyms

• Inflated
• High-flown