What does grandiose mean?
Word: Grandiose
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Grandiose means meant to seem very impressive, but too big or too elaborate to be sensible or workable.
Synonyms: pretentious
How do you spell grandiose?
Syllables: gran - di - ose
Tricky part: The ending looks wrong to many pupils, who expect the ous of famous. This word closes with ose instead.
Watch out for: grandious, grandiouse, grandiosse
Memory tip: A palace with a giant rose on its roof is far too much, and rose ends just as this word does.
Grandiose in a sentence
Example 1: He came back from the trip with grandiose ideas about building a rocket in the garden.
Example 2: The mayor's grandiose speech promised a bridge for every village by the end of the year.
Example 3: The huge marble staircase looked rather grandiose in such a small hotel.
Fun Fact
The word came into English through French from Italian grandioso, and musicians still see grandioso on scores as a direction to play in a broad, stately way.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
gr_nd_ose
a) u,i
b) a,i
c) e,i
d) a,e
Show answer
b) a,i. Think of the short vowel in land, then a quick extra beat before the ending.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
granddiose
a) d
b) i
c) r
d) n
Show answer
a) d. A single d sits in the middle of this word.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word grandiose as used in the sentence:
The council's grandiose plan for a glass tower on the hill was dropped after the first meeting.
a) showy
b) lavish
c) ambitious
d) modest
Show answer
d) modest. The other three lean the same way as the word in the sentence; modest means small and unshowy.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one word in the list is correct. Choose the meaning of that word.
1. grandiose 2. manouvre 3. mediocer 4. amature
a) only average and not very good
b) someone who does an activity for pleasure, not pay
c) a skilful movement that needs great care
d) so over the top that it could never work
Show answer
d) so over the top that it could never work. Amateur, mediocre and manoeuvre are all printed wrongly in this list.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which plan would a sensible adviser call grandiose?
a) a small notice board at the village bus stop
b) a fountain taller than the town hall for a tiny village
c) a row of neem saplings along the village road
d) a new wooden bench beside the village school gate
Show answer
b) a fountain taller than the town hall for a tiny village
2. When a review calls a film's ending grandiose, what does it suggest?
a) It leaves one small question open
b) It repeats the very first scene
c) It tries too hard to seem important
d) It finishes sooner than expected
Show answer
c) It tries too hard to seem important
