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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in goals

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 The author behind the singular Elizabeth Zott returns with ‘Peck & Peck,’ a sharp, charming satire on the pretensions and perils of literary gatekeepers. — Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026 Their trading volume, political influence and public profiles have expanded — as have their pretensions. — W. Joseph Campbell, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2026 Anyone can join this adventure, this surge of solidarity through collective prayer for our world, to put a stop to all the pretensions of evil. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Sep. 2026 Martin insisted that it could be done without schmaltz, but the singer was wary of wrecking their reputation with classical pretensions. — Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026 The genre, with its sanitized storylines and Oscar-baiting pretensions, seems fundamentally at odds with the iconoclastic chef and television personality. — Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2026 Like Paul Schrader’s 1982 version of the latter, this is an upscale genre piece whose pretensions towards Art are upfront, starting with a quotation from no less than Schopenhauer. — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 30 July 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretensions

Noun

These Arab citizens have all the rights of any other citizen.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
Kappa Alpha won the rights to this detour by having the best football game attendance of any student organization last season.

— Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of rights

Noun

The Sun enters your sign today, beginning your season and putting greater emphasis on your goals, identity, presence, and personal direction.

— Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 23 Oct. 2026
Knuble, playing his second career game, scored his first two goals in front of his father, former NHL forward Mike Knuble, who played 1,068 games with five teams.

— CBS News, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of goals

Noun

The company reincorporated from Delaware to Texas in 2024, and its charter pushes shareholder claims into mandatory arbitration and limits derivative suits to investors holding at least 3% of the stock—a stake worth tens of billions of dollars.

— Heather Occhino, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
The duplicate-ballot error in Tulare last week quickly went viral in conservative social media circles, with claims that something nefarious was going on in the middle of a House battleground district.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of claims

Noun

Combined with its co-founders' pledge to donate 80% of their equity and an employee donation matching program, roughly 20% of Anthropic's shares will be dedicated to public purposes, excluding any additional shares added later.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
Preliminary findings indicate Wilcher accessed it on multiple occasions for non-law enforcement purposes, the GBI said.

— CBS News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of purposes

Noun

Tonight’s Venus cazimi could illuminate which opportunities, ambitions, or forms of recognition genuinely appeal to you now.

— Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 23 Oct. 2026
India is also grappling with similar issues that pose a threat to its ambitions to host the whole world’s data.

— Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of ambitions

Noun

The cynic would say their aims are financial, and the outcomes in education are merely incidental to that end.

— Kamau Bobb October 21, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
But the uneven nature of the film, its plotting, its character motivations, and its aims only become bigger and bloodier as the film winds on.

— Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of aims

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pretension

pretensions

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“Pretensions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretensions. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of pretensions

noun

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