high-flown
Adjective: 1. Extravagant or lofty in style, language, or ambition; pretentious: Language or ideas that are excessively elaborate, ambitious, or intended to sound impressive, often to the point of being unrealistic or insincere. 2. Of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style: Expressing noble, grand, or lofty ideals, though this sense can sometimes overlap with the first, implying a potential disconnect from practicality.
The adjective "high-flown" is used to describe language, ideas, or ambitions. It often carries a critical or skeptical tone, suggesting that what is being described is overly elaborate, unrealistic, or pretentiously grand. It is typically placed before a noun (e.g., high-flown language) or used after a linking verb (e.g., The rhetoric was high-flown).
- The politician's high-flown promises about ending poverty were met with skepticism by the experienced journalists.
- She dismissed the philosophical debate as mere high-flown nonsense with no bearing on real life.
- The company's mission statement was full of high-flown phrases about "changing the world," but its daily practices were quite ordinary.
- He argued in terms of high-flown ideals, but his proposed policies lacked concrete details.
- "high-flown rhetoric": Speech or writing that is intended to sound important and impressive but may lack substance or sincerity.
- The revolution began with high-flown rhetoric about liberty and equality.
- "high-flown notions/ideas": Impractical or overly idealistic concepts.
- He was a dreamer, always filled with high-flown notions that never came to fruition.
- High-sounding (adj): Very similar to "high-flown," meaning impressive in sound but often insubstantial or pretentious.
- The advertisement was full of high-sounding claims about the product's benefits.
- Grandiose (adj): Impressive or magnificent in appearance or style, especially in a way that is intended to impress but may be overly ambitious or unrealistic.
- His grandiose plans for a new city were never funded.
- Bombastic (adj): High-sounding language with little meaning, used to impress people.
- The critic described the writer's style as bombastic and tedious.
- Pretentious: Attempting to impress by affecting greater importance or merit than is actually possessed.
- Lofty: Of a high moral or intellectual level; but can also mean haughty or arrogant.
- Grandiloquent: Pompous or extravagant in language, style, or manner, especially in a way that is intended to impress.
- Inflated: Exaggerated or pompous, especially in language.
- Down-to-earth: Sensible and practical; realistic.
- Plain-spoken: Speaking in a direct, honest way without trying to sound impressive.
- Unpretentious: Not attempting to impress others with an appearance of greater importance, talent, or culture than is actually possessed.
- Modest: Unassuming in the estimation of one's abilities or achievements.
- "Pie in the sky": Used to describe an idea or plan that is unrealistic or unlikely to happen. This idiom shares the sense of impractical idealism often associated with "high-flown" concepts.
- His promises of instant wealth were just pie in the sky.
- of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style
- an exalted ideal
- argue in terms of high-flown ideals- Oliver Franks
- a noble and lofty concept
- a grand purpose
- pretentious (especially with regard to language or ideals)
- high-flown talk of preserving the moral tone of the school
- a high-sounding dissertation on the means to attain social revolution