1
as in right
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 arrogance
an exaggerated sense of one's importance that shows itself in the making of excessive or unjustified claims
a woman full of pretension and pompousness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in affectation
the quality or state of appearing or trying to appear more important or more valuable than is the case
the pretension of that French restaurant is more than I can bear
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in purpose
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish
has serious pretensions of becoming a writer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretension
This idyllic stretch of western New Jersey is dotted with postcard-pretty towns that blend Americana charm with elevated local eats, funky cultural gems, and a refreshing lack of pretension.
—
Hannah Howard, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2026
The place, a rental, is furnished without pretension—cushy sectional, vintage Tabasco poster, board games.
—Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Electric Bleu is a testament to the reality that food can be technically precise and expertly executed, without the pretension and toxicity so often associated with fine dining kitchens.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
There’s no phoniness, no pretension.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pretension
Hannah Howard, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2026
The place, a rental, is furnished without pretension—cushy sectional, vintage Tabasco poster, board games.
—Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Electric Bleu is a testament to the reality that food can be technically precise and expertly executed, without the pretension and toxicity so often associated with fine dining kitchens.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
There’s no phoniness, no pretension.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pretension
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretension
Noun
-
The report said witnesses claimed that the airplane lost some altitude before regaining it, then flew at treetop height and turned to the right before disappearing from their view.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
-
During a fight for the ball by New Zealand defender Finn Surman and Iranian forward Shahriyar Moghanlou, the ball spilled toward Ramin Rezaeian, who tapped into the far post from close range on the right to tie things up 1-1 tie in the 32nd minute.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Deficient Humility manifests as arrogance, which can fracture teams and alienate fans.—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
His mixture of insecurity and arrogance was eye-catching.—
PhotoVogue,
Vogue,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
The elder Taylor exuded the easy-going charm of a music legend who is free of any airs or affectations.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Slumming with her sister in San Francisco after her life with her Madoff-like ex in New York implodes, Jasmine Francis isn't quite willing to let go of the affectations that come with living in high society.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Supreme Court decided in 2014 that inherited IRAs do not qualify as retirement funds for purposes of federal bankruptcy protection, as beneficiaries cannot make new contributions and are often required to take distributions from the account.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
-
That purpose might come from family, work, creativity, advocacy, faith or friendships.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
Draper contested the claims and denied all wrongdoing and criticized the Commission on Judicial Performance.—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
-
According to the Comcast settlement website, the settlement is now open for claims, and current or former customers who received a breach notification from Comcast in December 2023 may be eligible for a payout.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
In a crew filled with people convinced of the superiority of their own methods, Cooper just wants to look at peacocks, call his grandma, and engage in some PG-13 flirting with fellow innocent oddball Kat.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
16 June 2026
-
The United States, which can gobble up Olympic medals and force-feed its brand of football to a happy audience across the pond, has had to cede superiority to the rest of the world, unable to even get its own term for the game to catch on.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
For all the Court’s pretenses—all of its insistence on the rule of law, precedent, and good faith—many critics and supporters of the Roberts Court see the institution as an appendage of the Republican Party.—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
-
Garcia-Hernandez was arrested on charges of theft of an elder adult, obtaining money by false pretenses, and attempted grand theft, along with an out-of-county warrant.—
Kassia Bonesteel,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Wood then chested the ball back to Just, who took one touch before kicking the ball in for New Zealand’s first goal in the seventh minute.—
Iliana Limón Romero,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
-
Al-Amri may have the goal, but Al-Owais is surely the star man of this game thus far.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretension.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretension. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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