Synonyms of ostentatious

ostentatious

adjective

ˌä-stən-ˈtā-shəs 

1

as in loud

excessively showy

wears an ostentatious diamond ring on his little finger

Synonyms & Similar Words

• loud
• noisy
• gaudy
• extravagant
• ornate
• garish
• flashy
• excessive
• flamboyant
• glitzy
• flaring
• fancy
• swank
• splashy
• over-the-top
• razzle-dazzle
• pretentious
• overwrought
• bright
• baroque
• fulsome
• spectacular
• glaring
• hammy
• snazzy
• tawdry
• florid
• overdone
• tacky
• vulgar
• glittery
• inelegant
• lurid
• bedizened
• blaring
• tasteless
• graceless
• overbright
• tinselly
• zooty

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• understated
• appropriate
• conservative
• quiet
• proper
• fitting
• inconspicuous
• unobtrusive
• unflashy
• restrained
• elegant
• subdued
• muted
• graceful
• tasteful
• unflamboyant
• modest
• toned (down)
• simple
• plain
• unpretentious

2

as in arrogant

self-consciously trying to present an appearance of grandeur or importance

an ostentatious man who desperately wants to impress people with his newly acquired wealth

Synonyms & Similar Words

• arrogant
• grandiose
• pretentious
• pompous
• proud
• high-minded
• smug
• highfalutin
• affected
• snippy
• la-di-da
• aggressive
• cavalier
• vainglorious
• grandiloquent
• vain
• high-sounding
• conceited
• bumptious
• rude
• sententious
• high-and-mighty
• confident
• showy
• egotistic
• snobbish
• supercilious
• important
• uppity
• gaudy
• presumptuous
• high-toned
• high-handed
• haughty
• egoistic
• imperious
• prideful
• complacent
• snobby
• boastful
• garish
• self-important
• assertive
• high-hat
• flashy
• disdainful
• flamboyant
• glitzy
• hoity-toity
• high-flown
• insolent
• impudent
• overweening
• self-aggrandizing
• self-complacent
• sure
• self-centered
• self-satisfied
• superior
• self-glorifying
• self-conceited
• airy
• self-promoting
• cocky
• brassy
• self-obsessed
• cheeky
• self-assertive
• audacious
• lordly
• self-dramatizing
• flaunting
• self-asserting
• stuck-up
• bold
• splashy
• self-confident
• self-pleased
• self-assured
• bragging
• braggart
• forward

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• modest
• unpretentious
• humble
• unassuming
• homely
• meek
• lowly
• passive
• down-to-earth
• retiring
• timid
• quiet
• bashful
• shy
• demure
• unassertive
• reserved
• mousy
• diffident
• overmodest

Synonym Chooser

How is the word ostentatious different from other adjectives like it?

The words pretentious and showy are common synonyms of ostentatious. While all three words mean "given to excessive outward display," ostentatious stresses vainglorious display or parade.

the ostentatious summer homes of the rich

When is it sensible to use pretentious instead of ostentatious?

The synonyms pretentious and ostentatious are sometimes interchangeable, but pretentious implies an appearance of importance not justified by the thing's value or the person's standing.

a pretentious parade of hard words

When could showy be used to replace ostentatious?

The words showy and ostentatious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, showy implies an imposing or striking appearance but usually suggests cheapness or poor taste.

the performers' showy costumes

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of ostentatious

Seattle has all of these in its bar scene—just don’t expect ostentatious VIP rooms, which never fit the vibe of this low-key city. — Mark Dejoy, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 June 2026

There were no ostentatious lobbies, no scene-y pool decks, and no pressure to perform wellness. — Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 5 June 2026

Hyd tries to bring the listener close without being ostentatious. — H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 2 June 2026

Turner’s character, Declan O’Hara, is a righteous Irish journalist, also loquacious, also hot, but disgusted by ostentatious displays of wealth. — Anna Russell, New Yorker, 1 June 2026

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!