PRE-TENSIONS Synonyms: 54 Similar and Opposite Words

pretensions

noun

plural of pretension

as in rights

an entitlement to something a pretension of long standing to the throne of Hungary

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as in goals

something that one hopes or intends to accomplish has serious pretensions of becoming a writer

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of pretensions At 61, unaligned to any party faction and with no pretensions to the highest office, the Scot would represent little threat to Burnham. — Ian King, CNBC, 15 July 2026 The British journalist Malcolm Muggeridge, who converted to Christianity late in his life, pointed out that Jesus’s entire ministry was directed against the pretensions of earthly power. — Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026 Adley and his team make great tasting plates first and foremost, but some of the items, like the unmissable chicken wings stuffed with boudin blanc and romesco, act as a cheeky affront to haute cuisine’s pretensions and conventions. — Colin Wrenn, Denver Post, 3 June 2026 The digs at the pretensions of artists, channeled through Claire’s decision to make her death a public spectacle in order to secure some future fame, are less amusing here because the blows never seem to quite connect with their targets. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 24 May 2026 Traditionally, Oscars hosts have been at their best when puncturing the pretensions of the stars in attendance, but for the most part, host Conan O’Brien bought into their sense of their own righteousness. — Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026 By the early 1950s, many clerics had come to see the Pahlavi monarchy, for all its secular pretensions, as a manageable partner. — Bobby Ghosh, Time, 5 Mar. 2026 The war with Ukraine has revealed the yawning gap between Russia’s pretensions and its capabilities. — George F. Will, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2026 With his dweeby air, pretensions and position at the helm of an active production, Arthur is the Liz Lemon of this setup, but with the emphases reversed. — Alison Herman, Variety, 23 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretensions

Noun

The UConn Foundation will be looking for naming-rights revenue opportunities for the fields, which will allow the team to work outdoors more often.

— Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2026
Carlson opted to test free agency and signed a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning after the Ducks dealt his rights to the Carolina Hurricanes.

— Eric Stephens, New York Times, 5 July 2026

Definition of rights

Noun

SpaceX’s goals for Flight 13 of Starship include testing several changes intended to overcome the engine issues on Flight 12 two months ago.

— Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026
Rodríguez’s 2014 World Cup total of six goals also won him the Golden Boot (awarded to the tournament’s top scorer) that year.

— Tushaar Kuthiala, Encyclopedia Britannica, 16 July 2026

Definition of goals

Noun

As many as 476,000 people a year in the US may be diagnosed with and treated for Lyme disease, an estimate based on insurance claims data, as cases may be underreported.

— Meg Tirrell, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
The Department of Homeland Security has claimed that both of the drivers attempted to run over law enforcement agents, but has not provided evidence to back up those claims.

— Philip Wang, Time, 14 July 2026

Definition of claims

Noun

Also, as open-source models, developers can download the models for free and tweak them to suit their own purposes.

— Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 17 July 2026
The cy pres doctrine prevents it from redirecting funds to other institutions, such as nearby public schools, or related purposes, such as college scholarships for low-income students.

— Thomas Adam, The Conversation, 16 July 2026

Definition of purposes

Noun

Norm-setter The strengthening foothold of Chinese AI models globally may help China’s ambitions to lead the technology’s proliferation and regulation.

— Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
In Miami-Dade, the transit system faces financial woes Aside from diminishing Miami-Dade’s transit ambitions, the Levine Cava plan also highlights the dire financial picture facing mass transit in the county.

— Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026

Definition of ambitions

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“Pretensions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretensions. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of pretensions

noun

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