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pretensions

noun

plural of pretension
1
as in rights
an entitlement to something a pretension of long standing to the throne of Hungary

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in goals
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish has serious pretensions of becoming a writer

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 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 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretensions
  1. rights
  2. goals
  3. claims
  4. purposes
  5. pretenses
  6. ambitions
  7. plans
  8. aims
Noun
  • Diplomats and rights advocates are condemning Turkey’s crackdown on LGBT organizations and individuals, and protesters demonstrated Friday outside Turkish missions in the United States and Europe.
    — Mohamad El Chamaa, Washington Post, 18 Sep. 2026
  • However, immigrant rights advocates are skeptical about this claim and wary about the lack of oversight of ICE agents.
    — J. Toby Reiner, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of rights
Noun
  • The 36-year-old Doughty is the franchise leader among defensemen in numerous categories, including goals, assists, points and games played and was a key piece in their Stanley Cup victories in 2012 and 2014.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Aerobic exercise, like walking or swimming, supports cardiovascular health and helps with weight loss goals.
    — Kristen Gasnick, Verywell Health, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of goals
Noun
  • The president has opposed such efforts to constrain AI and claims that doing so could cause China to eclipse America on the technology.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Policies renew, claims get handled, and leadership moves on to more immediate financial priorities.
    — Randy Sadler, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of claims
Noun
  • Whether or not the medication is truly effective for antiaging purposes remains to be seen, but the finding highlights how the burgeoning technology could make the drug discovery process easier, or at least faster.
    — Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 15 Sep. 2026
  • This was intended to enable him to build his own network for intelligence purposes, the statement said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of purposes
Noun
  • The strategic mistake of invading Iraq on false pretenses was then compounded by tactical errors.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Johnson created the story of Nancy (Emilia Jones), who is not a girlfriend, but a crush who Bourdain foolhardily (and under false pretenses) follows to Provincetown after not getting a writing fellowship.
    — Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of pretenses
Noun
  • These were way beyond the ambitions of your average Canadian actor.
    — Victor Garber, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Now, with a US green light for its civil nuclear ambitions, more uranium finds may surface.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of ambitions
Noun
  • As a result, plans need to be made to deal with the logistics of several celestial vehicles taxiing and docking at the port and eventually at a permanent moon settlement.
    — Devika Rao, TheWeek, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Pricing plans, rebate information and outage status were flagged as the most consistently difficult content for customers to navigate across every utility digital channel studied.
    — Amber Mullaney, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of plans
Noun
  • The caucus also will focus on innovation, competition, and responsible platform practices, among other aims.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Across your sky, innovative Uranus highlights your 10th House of Career and Status, so professional aims need flexible plans that protect domestic stability.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of aims

Browse Nearby Words

pretension
pretensions
pretentious
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Cite this Entry

“Pretensions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretensions. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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