noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   The state or quality of being fulsome or showing overdone and insincere flattery. uncountable
2. 2
   smug self-serving earnestness wordnet
3. 3
   excessive but superficial compliments given with affected charm wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms

oleaginousnessunctuousnessaffectationbasenessbestialitybig talk

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English fulsomnesse; equivalent to fulsome + -ness.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.