1. to speak or express opinions in a pompous or dogmatic way
Usage: often disapproving

1. the office or term of office of a pope
Usage: formal; religious

Examples

• The professor tends to pontificate about politics during his lectures.
• She pontificated on the importance of proper grammar.
• I wish he would stop pontificating and actually listen to our concerns.
• The pontificate of Pope Francis began in 2013.
• During his pontificate, the pope made significant reforms.
• The guest speaker pontificated for an hour about environmental issues.