fustian
- noun
- /ˈfʌstʃən/
- Literature
- Quietly in particular would distinguish himself in those later works, perfecting a brand of freeze-frame action-adventure that tips the scales away from Morrisonian fustian and towards the purely visual.
Examples
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His speech was filled with fustian, making it difficult for the audience to grasp his true message.
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Critics panned the playwright's latest work as mere fustian, lacking genuine emotion.
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Brown's "fustian" narrows the field of suspects in the painting dramatically.
Academic text (1992) -
The author's use of fustian in his novel made it hard to connect with the characters.
Synonyms
Words that sound impressive but have little real meaning
False or showy talk that tries to impress but has no real meaning
A way of acting like you are very important that annoys other people
Words or ideas that sound important but have little real meaning
Speech or writing that uses large, showy words but has little real meaning
Acting like you are more important or more educated than you really are
Very fancy or showy language that does not sound honest and is hard to understand
Fancy words that try to impress but have little real meaning
Speech or writing that uses big, fancy words to sound important
The use of very fancy, detailed language or style that feels too much
A style of writing or speaking that uses many extra, fancy words
Antonyms
Compounds
How Pompous
Surface Forms
Etymology
Fustian for pompous language is easier to remember with an image: old fustian cloth was thick and 'puffed up', so people began to call writing or speech that was 'puffed up'—that is, 'pompous' or 'showy'—by the same name.