bombastic

/bɒmˈbæs.tɪk/

//bɒmˈbæs.tɪk// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"bombastic" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“bombastic” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #45,240. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#45,240
frequency rank, English
4,121
“B” headwords
14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - showy in speech and given to using flowery or elaborate terms; grandiloquent; pompous

Corpus desk

Index EN-bombastic · bombastic · English

bombastic · rank #45,240 · 14 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #45,240
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,121
  • PHOTO-FINISH boho

Nearest frequency peer: boho (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “bombastic”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “bombastic” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for bombastic
PropertyValue
Headwordbombastic
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/bɒmˈbæs.tɪk/
Letters9
Frequency rank#45,240
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “bombastic”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).bombasticlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “boho” (#45,239), “braved” (#45,242), “Blyth” (#45,237). Among 4,121 “B” headwords, “bombastic” is #45,240. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around bombastic (IPA /bɒmˈbæs.tɪk/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #45,240 among 4,121 “B” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for bombastic, with forms such as "bbombastic", "bmobastic", and "bobmastic". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From bombast (“padding, stuffing”) + -ic, 18th century. Sense evolution possibly influenced by unrelated bomb and bombard; see also bombard phrase. The correct English form is bombastic, spelled B-O-M-B-A-S-T-I-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    showy in speech and given to using flowery or elaborate terms; grandiloquent; pompous
  2. 2
    High-sounding but with little meaning.
  3. 3
    Inflated, overfilled.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how bombastic appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Dorsett came up the stairs, buggy whip in hand. He bustled into the office in his usual self-important way. Frank noticed that the old clerk sat down on him promptly. He was not one bit impressed with the bombastic visitor from Greenville.

Etymology

From bombast (“padding, stuffing”) + -ic, 18th century. Sense evolution possibly influenced by unrelated bomb and bombard; see also bombard phrase.

Synonyms

fustian

This word in other languages

altilocuente(Español)ampoulé(Français)bombastisch(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • bbombastic
  • bmobastic
  • bobmastic
  • bomabstic
  • bombasitc
  • bombasstic
  • bombastci
  • bombasticc
  • bombasttic
  • bombatsic
  • bombbastic
  • bombsatic
  • bommbastic
  • obmbastic

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of bombastic - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

bbombastic1bmobastic2bobmastic2bomabstic2bombasitc2bombasstic1bombastci2bombasticc1
Edit distance from "bombastic"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "bombastic"?
"bombastic" is spelled B-O-M-B-A-S-T-I-C. The IPA pronunciation is /bɒmˈbæs.tɪk/.
What does "bombastic" mean?
As an adjective, "bombastic" means: showy in speech and given to using flowery or elaborate terms; grandiloquent; pompous
What are common misspellings of "bombastic"?
Common misspellings include "bbombastic", "bmobastic", "bobmastic", "bomabstic", "bombasitc". The correct spelling is "bombastic".
How do you pronounce "bombastic"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bombastic" is /bɒmˈbæs.tɪk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "bombastic"?
From bombast (“padding, stuffing”) + -ic, 18th century. Sense evolution possibly influenced by unrelated bomb and bombard; see also bombard phrase. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "bombastic", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Bletchley#45,236biomarker#45,231beckoning#45,223charlatan#45,264

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

capacitive14 variantscheckbook14 variantsasthmatic14 variantscityscape14 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list