1
as in genuine
free from any intent to deceive or impress others
a simple and unpretentious account about growing up in the rural South
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in quiet
not excessively showy
lives in a rather unpretentious house for someone so wealthy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in humble
not having or showing any feelings of superiority, self-assertiveness, or showiness
the unpretentious disposition of an award-winning scientist who has nothing to prove to anyone
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unpretentious
To watch any one of Wiseman’s films is to fall under the spell of a master who used the medium to make the viewer a more empathetic and enlightened person, supplying the pleasure of watching human nature through the perceptive eye of a humorous, unpretentious man with insatiable curiosity.
—
Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 16 Feb. 2026
The atmosphere is also lovely and unpretentious.
—Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 6 Feb. 2026
At Naïve Kitchen + Bar, Latin flavors meet Kentucky sensibility in a menu that’s vibrant, ingredient-driven, and refreshingly unpretentious.
—Hannah Howard, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2026
The Aussie trio’s rowdy rants, unpretentious attitudes and pub accents come across as the hyperactive equivalent of chasing a can of Red Bull with a round of Malort shots.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unpretentious
Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 16 Feb. 2026
The atmosphere is also lovely and unpretentious.
—Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 6 Feb. 2026
At Naïve Kitchen + Bar, Latin flavors meet Kentucky sensibility in a menu that’s vibrant, ingredient-driven, and refreshingly unpretentious.
—Hannah Howard, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2026
The Aussie trio’s rowdy rants, unpretentious attitudes and pub accents come across as the hyperactive equivalent of chasing a can of Red Bull with a round of Malort shots.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unpretentious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unpretentious
Adjective
-
Renovations true to the period The couple stayed true to the period when the genuine finishes needed replacing.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The Who were featured at Woodstock and their dynamic performance was one of the genuine highlights of the film.—
John Nogowski,
Hartford Courant,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The Huskies seemed determined to keep Bascoe quiet, bringing double teams to the Villanova point guard that left teammates open on the perimeter, and the gamble played off with the Wildcats shooting just 4-for-20 on 3-pointers in the first half.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Villa Giggione is a quiet perch about three miles from Positano, in Maiori, that feels tailor-made for a couples’ getaway.—
Angela Tafoya,
Vogue,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Kayla is a humble and gracious student who leads with quiet strength and a genuine love for dance.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
-
After pulling off another iconic play Saturday, Reaves had a more humble message.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
It’s soon determined that Grace will be part of a crew on a one-way journey to the unaffected star to figure out why, and then send the answer back to Earth.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Nowadays, the Southwest Chief is run by Amtrak (which gets government funding but operates independently enough to be unaffected by recent government shutdowns).—
Tribune News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The staterooms are a testament to this, decked out in muted tones of gold, silver and blue.—
Helen Wright,
TheWeek,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Jamner said to expect muted reactions in financial markets to the release, typically closely monitored on Wall Street.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Some of the ire contributing to the unedifying scenes at full-time owed to just how meek Villa had been against the Premier League’s bottom team.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
3 Mar. 2026
-
At the film’s center is Seyo Kim (Chen Emilie Yan), a meek state lawyer looking to make a difference, but who accepts, with begrudging sighs, her department’s 80% rate of dropping hate crime prosecutions as just another part of the job.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
At least my mother was more honest.—
Han Ong,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
-
And to be honest, our offensive rebounding wasn’t poor.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Genimo Outdoor Area Rug For a rug that’s elegant but more subdued, look no further than this option from Genimo.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
13 Mar. 2026
-
But, Wells has been more subdued.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unpretentious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unpretentious. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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