Meanings
comparative more grandiose · superlative most grandiose
- Large and impressive in size, scope or extent.
Independence does not need to be a grandiose process of disconnection and severing ties.
2019 March 6, Nalini Mohabir, “Renaming the Cook Islands would be a vital step towards true independence”, in The Guardian - Pompous or pretentious.
There is a station here, of course, opened as Didcot in June 1844 and renamed as the more grandiose-sounding Didcot Parkway in July 1985.
2021 December 29, Stephen Roberts, “Stories and facts behind railway plaques: Didcot (1932)”, in RAIL, number 947, page 60
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveimpressive because of unnecessary largeness or grandeur; used to show disapproval
adjectiveaffectedly genteel; to carry an air of affected importance; to be snobbish and haughty
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latingrandis“great, grand”
- Italiangrandioso
- Frenchgrandiose
- Englishgrandiose
From French grandiose, from Italian grandioso, from Latin grandis (“great, grand”) (English grand). Possibly from grand + -ose, though to be debated. Doublet of grandioso.
More words from French, Italian, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian грандиозен, внушителен
- грандиозен (grandiozen)large and impressive, in size, scope or extent
- внушителен (vnušitelen)large and impressive, in size, scope or extent
- помпозен (pompozen)pompous or pretentious
- претенциозен (pretenciozen)pompous or pretentious
Catalan grandiós, grandiós
- grandióslarge and impressive, in size, scope or extent
- grandióspompous or pretentious
Danish grandios, storslået
- grandioslarge and impressive, in size, scope or extent
- storslåetlarge and impressive, in size, scope or extent
- svulstiglarge and impressive, in size, scope or extent
- storladenlarge and impressive, in size, scope or extent
- opsigtsvækkendelarge and impressive, in size, scope or extent
- flotlarge and impressive, in size, scope or extent
Finnish mahtava, mahtaileva
- mahtavalarge and impressive, in size, scope or extent
- mahtailevapompous or pretentious
French grandiose, pompeux
- grandioselarge and impressive, in size, scope or extent
- pompeuxpompous or pretentious
- prétentieuxpompous or pretentious
Greek επιβλητικός
- επιβλητικός (epivlitikós)large and impressive, in size, scope or extent
Hungarian grandiózus, grandiózus
- grandiózuslarge and impressive, in size, scope or extent
- grandiózuspompous or pretentious
Italian grandioso, grandioso
- grandiosolarge and impressive, in size, scope or extent
- grandiosopompous or pretentious
Norwegian Bokmål grandios, herskapelig
- grandioslarge and impressive, in size, scope or extent
- herskapeliglarge and impressive, in size, scope or extent
- storslagenlarge and impressive, in size, scope or extent
Portuguese grandioso, pomposo
- grandiosolarge and impressive, in size, scope or extent
- pomposopompous or pretentious
Russian грандио́зный, помпе́зный
- грандио́зный (grandióznyj)large and impressive, in size, scope or extent
- помпе́зный (pompéznyj)pompous or pretentious
Spanish grandioso, grandioso
- grandiosolarge and impressive, in size, scope or extent
- grandiosopompous or pretentious
Swedish grandios, storslagen
- grandioslarge and impressive, in size, scope or extent
- storslagenlarge and impressive, in size, scope or extent
- storartadlarge and impressive, in size, scope or extent
Yiddish גראַנדיעז
- גראַנדיעז (grandyez)large and impressive, in size, scope or extent
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with grandiose
Anagrams
Cite this entry
grandiose. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/grandiose
“grandiose.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/grandiose. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “grandiose,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/grandiose.
Source: grandiose on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.