fustian
Inflated empty speech
Fustian is a coarse, sturdy cloth of cotton and linen, once common for working-class garments.
The figurative sense dominates modern use: pompous, inflated speech or writing that sounds impressive but means little.
His manifesto was pure fustian—grand phrases with nothing behind them.
The word carries contempt for pretension that fails to deceive.
Ridged cotton textile
- velveteenCotton imitating velvet
- cottonPlant fiber for textiles
- twillDiagonal-ribbed fabric
- denimTough cotton twill
calico · muslin · buckram · cambric · poplin · nainsook · dimity · sateen
Angry prolonged outburst
- tiradeExtended angry speech
- harangueAggressive lengthy scolding
- blusterLoud, empty boasting
- rodomontadeBoastful, empty rhetoric
gasconade · braggadocio · speechifying · declamation · oratory · grandstanding · hot air · soapbox
Senseless talk or writing
- claptrapInsincere, pretentious language
- twaddleTrivial, foolish talk
- hogwashFoolish or untrue talk
- poppycockFoolish or meaningless talk
malarkey · bunk · flummery · trumpery · codswallop · buncombe · blather · drivel
Pretentiously elevated in speech
- magniloquentUsing pompous, elevated rhetoric
- turgidSwollen or pompous
- pompousAffectedly grand in manner
- inflatedExpanded with gas
overblown · pretentious · highfalutin · sonorous · florid · ornate · overwrought · purple
corduroy
Ridged cotton textile
denim · calico · muslin · buckram · cambric · poplin · nainsook · dimity · sateen · percale
rant
Angry prolonged outburst
rodomontade · gasconade · braggadocio · speechifying · declamation · oratory · grandstanding · hot air · soapbox · demagoguery
balderdash
Senseless talk or writing
poppycock · malarkey · bunk · flummery · trumpery · codswallop · buncombe · blather · drivel · rubbish
grandiloquent
Pretentiously elevated in speech
- magniloquentUsing pompous, elevated rhetoric
- turgidSwollen or pompous
- pompousAffectedly grand in manner
inflated · overblown · pretentious · highfalutin · sonorous · florid · ornate · overwrought · purple · stilted
- textilescotton, wool, silk, fabric, thread
- fabricscotton, silk, linen, wool, satin
- bombastbombast, grandiloquence, magniloquence, pomposity, purple prose
- coarse fabricsburlap, sackcloth, hessian, gunny, haircloth
- historic fabricslinen, velvet, damask, brocade, silk
- historic textilesbrocade, damask, velvet, silk weaving, linen
fustianplain
Basic and unremarkable
plainspoken · direct · simple · straightforward · unadorned
fustiansincere
Genuinely felt, not feigned
genuine · heartfelt · substantive · meaningful · authentic