grandiose

/ˈgrændioʊs/

/ˈgrændiəʊs/

You've got big plans. Huge plans. Whatever it is, it's going to blow minds and absolutely rock worlds! Well, to some people those plans might sound a bit grandiose, or unnecessarily overblown and even highfalutin.

Coming from the Italian word grandioso (meaning "grand" or "noble"), the adjective grandiose is kind of like Italian hand gestures: big, exaggerated, and over the top. And it's that excessiveness that pushes something grand (large, with an air of distinction) into grandiose (large, but trying too hard) territory.

Definitions of grandiose

1. adjective

   impressive because of unnecessary largeness or grandeur; used to show disapproval
   synonyms:

   impressive

   making a strong or vivid impression
2. adjective

   affectedly genteel
   synonyms: hifalutin, highfalutin, highfaluting, hoity-toity, la-di-da

   pretentious

   making claim to or creating an appearance of (often undeserved) importance or distinction