The difference between Bombast and Highfalutin

When used as nouns, bombast means cotton, or cotton wool, whereas highfalutin means pompous speech or writing.

When used as adjectives, bombast means big without meaning, or high-sounding, whereas highfalutin means self-important, pompous.


Bombast is also verb with the meaning: to swell or fill out.

check bellow for the other definitions of Bombast and Highfalutin

  1. Bombast as a noun (archaic):

    Cotton, or cotton wool.

  2. Bombast as a noun (archaic):

    Cotton, or any soft, fibrous material, used as stuffing for garments; stuffing, padding.

  3. Bombast as a noun (figuratively):

    High-sounding words; language above the dignity of the occasion; a pompous or ostentatious manner of writing or speaking.

  1. Bombast as a verb:

    To swell or fill out; to inflate, to pad.

  2. Bombast as a verb:

    To use high-sounding words; to speak or write in a pompous or ostentatious manner.

  1. Bombast as an adjective:

    Big without meaning, or high-sounding; bombastic, inflated; magniloquent.

  1. Highfalutin as an adjective (informal):

    Self-important, pompous; arrogant or egotistical.

    Examples:

    "synonyms: bombast hoity-toity pretentious"

    "It's only a matter of time before some highfalutin developer builds a huge hotel and ruins the scenery."

    "That one Cajun that moved to Austin is too highfalutin to come back to Livingston Parish. He's over there with that mean bread lady!"

    "His speech was very highfalutin."

  1. Highfalutin as a noun (archaic):

    Pompous speech or writing.