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Phrase: Pomp and ceremony
The phrase pomp and ceremony describes grand, formal events that highlight tradition, importance, and celebration.
If you notice fancy clothing, music, and serious rituals that may be hundreds of years old, you are seeing pomp and ceremony.
People often use this phrase when talking about royal events, graduations, or other big, formal celebrations.
It is an impressive display, especially at formal events with traditional customs and rituals.
For example, at a royal wedding, you will see beautiful decorations, special music, and important guests in their finest clothes.
It is not only for royalty.
Schools also use pomp and ceremony during graduation, when students wear caps and gowns, and there are speeches and awards.
These traditions help make the event feel special and memorable.
It can be for American presidents, too.
Remember that back in September, Donald Trump visited the UK for a state visit, during which the Prime Minister and the King himself lavished Trump with pomp and ceremony.
Trump is very obvious in his desire to be a king in his own right.
That’s why he loves the British Royal Family – he craves all the pomp and ceremony the Royal Family can deliver.
You can also see pomp and ceremony at the opening of the Olympic Games.
Athletes enter the stadium with their national flags, accompanied by dances, fireworks, and music.
All of this demonstrates to the world the significance of the event.
Sometimes, people use pomp and ceremony in a negative way.
For example, if someone says, “There was too much pomp and ceremony at the meeting,” they mean the event felt too formal or over the top.
In daily life, you can use pomp and ceremony to describe any event that feels grand or special.
Next time you attend a wedding, graduation, or another big event, notice the pomp and ceremony that makes it stand out.
Flesch-Kincaid Readability Test
This post is understandable by someone with at least a 7th-grade education (age 11 – 13).
On the Flesch-Kincaid reading-ease test, this post scores 77.
The easier a passage is to read, the higher the score on a scale of 0 – 100.
