Choose the most appropriate word to fill in the blank: Because the orator's speech was high-flown and pretentious, the reporter termed it as ______.

Option 1 -> Untruthful means false or dishonest, which relates to accuracy rather than style.

Option 2 -> Vituperative means bitter and abusive in language, describing harsh criticism rather than pretentiousness.

Option 3 -> Austere means simple and unadorned, which is the opposite of high-flown and pretentious.

Option 4 -> Bombastic means pompous and inflated in style, using high-sounding language with little substance.

Hence, Option 4: bombastic -> The word "bombastic" perfectly captures speech that is high-flown and pretentious, as it specifically refers to language that is pompous, inflated, and excessively grandiose. This directly aligns with the orator's style described in the question. -> correct