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
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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"
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of highfalutin
Whitmer makes her case in less than 160 pages with almost no highfalutin language.
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Amanda Uhle, Washington Post, 9 July 2024
Offerman brings a great counterpoint to these highfalutin words with his innate buff-dude physicality.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 19 Apr. 2024
The way his vivid, relatable characters discuss the big questions, with so much soul and hang-looseness, free from any highfalutin airs, has long been something of a north star for me as a movie lover and as a talker.
—David Marchese, New York Times, 1 June 2024
Most important to Mongers' co-founders, though, was to reimagine the highfalutin nature of wine, cheese and other delicacies into a format that is laid back.
—Detroit Free Press, 6 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for highfalutin 
Amanda Uhle, Washington Post, 9 July 2024
Offerman brings a great counterpoint to these highfalutin words with his innate buff-dude physicality.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 19 Apr. 2024
The way his vivid, relatable characters discuss the big questions, with so much soul and hang-looseness, free from any highfalutin airs, has long been something of a north star for me as a movie lover and as a talker.
—David Marchese, New York Times, 1 June 2024
Most important to Mongers' co-founders, though, was to reimagine the highfalutin nature of wine, cheese and other delicacies into a format that is laid back.
—Detroit Free Press, 6 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for highfalutin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for highfalutin
Adjective
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Nobody wants to be around an arrogant or disrespectful individual, in the workplace or in day-to-day life.AllBusiness, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
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So Far Trump in fact as played by Stan is a mix of charming and shy, troubled and insecure, arrogant and angry, a creative dealmaker with vision, narcissitic, cruel, self-serving, at times grief stricken.Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Timothée Chalamet’s performance in this is superior.Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 21 Nov. 2024
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While many business professionals are likely familiar with the steps of basic decision making, the challenge lies in refining and optimizing this process to achieve superior outcomes.Michael Shribman, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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But while the 118 is able to save both Celeste and her mother-in-law’s final resting place, a smug Trent trips and drops the vase, an appropriate punchline to a very silly cold open.Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2024
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The smug conventional wisdom has it that voters don’t care much about abstractions like democracy or the rule of law.Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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These subtle symbolic and rhetorical shifts suggest that North Korea is dissatisfied with China.Sungmin Cho, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2024
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But even when adjusted for rhetorical inflation, Trump has signaled plans for a starkly different sort of tariff regime.Joseph Thorndike, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Defacing sites or breaking the rules at important international sites has led to charges and serious fines for tourists on many occasions.Arata Yamamoto, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
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Moon Alert: Avoid shopping or important decisions from 10:30 p.m. to 11:15 p.m. PST today.Georgia Nicols, The Denver Post, 13 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Leading On & Off The Court Napheesa Collier is both a basketball star and a proud mom to her daughter.Caroline Fitzgerald, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
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Clearly proud of such an achievement, Ferrari designed the 360’s engine lid to feature a pane of glass that allows the engine to constantly be on display.Christian Gilbertsen, Robb Report, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Yet Connell of all people, whose pretentious classmates use novels to seem superior, should know that the love of literature is hardly disinterested.Andrea Long Chu, Vulture, 20 Sep. 2024
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Once the very idea of holding a wine tasting at one’s home was considered a pretentious way of ruining a convivial party.John Mariani, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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French bulldogs, Boston terriers, cavalier King Charles spaniels and other brachycephalic (short-nosed) breeds have become incredibly popular due to their unique appearance.Lisa Bloch, The Mercury News, 19 Nov. 2024
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The 29-year-old can occasionally frustrate with his histrionics and cavalier playing style, but last season’s 4-0 defeat away at Crystal Palace was a chastening reminder of what the team can look like without him.Carl Anka, The Athletic, 13 Aug. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Highfalutin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/highfalutin. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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