What does "pomp" mean?
Show of magnificence; parade; display; power.
Pomp
/ˈpɒmp/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Show of magnificence; parade; display; power.
- Grammar: pomp is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: array, bombast, brilliance, buckram.
- Useful contrasts: austerity, humility, modesty.
- Usage evidence: It has set up a religion of pomp and of revenue in pretended imitation of a person whose life was humility and poverty.
How to use "pomp"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "pomp" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "pomp" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "pomp" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "pomp" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "pomp" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "array" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "pomp", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Show of magnificence; parade; display; power. countable, uncountable
"'Tis a gross visible errour, which Tertullian teaches in his Book of Idolatry cap. 18. That all the marks of Dignity and Power, and all the ornaments annexed to Office, are forbid Christians, and that Jesus Christ hath plac'd all these things amongst the pomps of the Devil, since he himself appeared in a condition so far from all pomp and splendour."
- 2 ceremonial elegance and splendor wordnet
- 3 A procession distinguished by ostentation and splendor; a pageant. countable, uncountable
"[…] a more beautiful expression of joy and thanksgiving than could have been exhibited by all the pomps of a Roman triumph."
- 4 cheap or pretentious or vain display wordnet
Verb
- 1 To make a pompous display. obsolete
"pomp'd for those hard trifles"
- 2 To pamper. obsolete, transitive
Antonyms
Example
"It has set up a religion of pomp and of revenue in pretended imitation of a person whose life was humility and poverty."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "pomp"?
Common synonyms include: array, bombast, brilliance, buckram, caravan, cavalcade.
How do you use "pomp" in a sentence?
It has set up a religion of pomp and of revenue in pretended imitation of a person whose life was humility and poverty.
How do you pronounce "pomp"?
Pronounced /ˈpɒmp/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
The noun is derived from Middle English pomp, pompe, from Old French pompe, from Latin pompa (“pomp”), from Ancient Greek πομπή (pompḗ, “a sending, a solemn procession, pomp”), from πέμπω (pémpō, “I send”). The verb is derived from Middle English pompen, from pomp, pompe (see above).
Etymology 2
From Middle English pompen. Possibly an alteration of pampen (English pamp), from Middle Low German pampen (“to pamper oneself, live luxuriously”), from Old Saxon *pampōn, from Proto-Germanic *pampōną (“to swell”), from Proto-Indo-European *bamb- (“round object”).