ostentation

noun

os·ten·ta·tion | \ ˌä-stən-ˈtā-shən

Definition of ostentation

1 : excessive display : vain and unnecessary show especially for the purpose of attracting attention, admiration, or envy : pretentiousness She dresses stylishly without ostentation. an aesthetic preference for function over ostentation— Wendell Garrett their ostentation of new wealth and their prodigality with it— Mark Sullivan

2 archaic : an act of displaying

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about ostentation

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Examples of ostentation in a Sentence

The actress avoids ostentation. She owns a small house and drives an inexpensive car. He writes simply and clearly and without ostentation.

Recent Examples on the Web

There is leisure, by some assumed to be the basis of culture, by others to be a form of ostentation, not at all to be associated with culture. — Marilynne Robinson, Harper's magazine, "Is Poverty Necessary?," 10 June 2019 Free of crowds, ostentation, tracts of cookie-cutter condos and franchise mall fare like Nordstrom and Forever 21, Telluride is independent and feels that way. — Alex Bhattacharji, Condé Nast Traveler, "Why Telluride Keeps Being Named the Best U.S. Ski Town," 5 Dec. 2018 So nobody objected when Alexander Zickler, the beneficiary of Alonso’s generosity, raced over to thank him, with pantomime ostentation, for the assist. — Rory Smith, New York Times, "The Players Are Retired. But Try Telling Them the Games Don’t Matter.," 17 Apr. 2018 Young leads a life notorious among the 49ers for its lack of ostentation. — Johnny Miller, SFChronicle.com, "5 years, $26 million for QB Young," 12 July 2018 For all the ostentation, for all the millions spent, this was a day for all generations and all people. — Aimee Lewis, CNN, "A day in Windsor when everything changed," 19 May 2018 But as the show explains, these vehicles were not about mere ostentation, but reflective of the Art Deco movement itself, defined by the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Artes Décoratifs in Paris. — Mark Yost, WSJ, "‘L’epoque des Carrossiers: The Art and Times of the French Coachbuilders’ Review: Works of Art on Wheels," 14 Apr. 2018 Once upon a time, horseless carriages were a luxury item, crafted from the finest of materials to wrap an owner in wealth and ostentation. — Jack Stewart, Wired News, "7 Future-Revealing Details From the 2018 Geneva Motor Show," 11 Mar. 2018 So, like any sneaker that cranks itself to 11 on the ostentation scale, these Raf x Adidas sneakers fit best with wide-leg trousers that can stand up to all that extra real estate on your feet. — Jake Woolf, GQ, "The Raf Simons x Adidas Ozweego III, the Godfather of Ugly Sneakers, Is Back," 7 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ostentation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.